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TREATISE 

ON 

The Culture and Management 

OF 

FRUIT TREES, 



A 

TREATISE 

ON 

THE CULTURE AJVD MAjYAGEMEKT 

OF 

FRUIT TREES; 

IN WHICH 

A NEW METHOD OF PRUNING AND TRAINING 

IS FULLT DESCRIBED. 
TOGETHEIi WITH 

OBSERVATIONS 

ON 

The Diseases, Defects, aiid Injuries, in all kinds of Fruit and 
Forest Trees ^ 

AS ALSO, 

AN ACCOUNT OF A PARTICULAR METHOD OF CURE, 

Made public by order of the British Government. 



BY WILLIAM FORSYTH, F. A. S. & F. S, A.. 

Gardener to his Majesty at Kensington and St. James's, 



TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, 

ADAPTING THE RULES OF THE TREATISE TO THE 

Climates and Seasons of the United States of America, 

BY WILLIAM COBBETT. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

PRINTED FOR J. MORGAN, 51 SOUTH SECOND STREET. 



1802. 



1 



INTRODUCTION, 

ADDRESSED 

To Mr. James Paul^ Senior^ 

OF BUSTLETON, IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



DEAR i-RIEI^ID, 

During the many happy days which I passed at your hos- 
pitable mansion, my observation was occasionally directed to 
the state of your orchards, and your method of cultivation ; 
and I have not unfrequently perceived, that you, as well as other 
persons, in tljje states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New 
York, experienced no small disappointment, vexation, and loss, 
from the failure in the crops, and from the premature death, of 
your fruit trees. The smallness and inferior quality of the 
fruit of the Peach-tree, in particular, and the swift decay of the 
tree itself, have, for many years past, been a subject of general 
regret in the middle states of America ; and, it appears to me^ 
that whoever shall first communicate to you a method of re- 
moving this evil, will render you no unacceptable service. Un- 
der this persuasion it is, that I have, for a moment, withdrawn 
myself from the noise and strife of politics, in order to address 
to you a few introductory remarks on a work, which, I think, 
is extremely well calculated to afford you a great deal of new 
and useful information, on the culture and management of t hose 
trees, which are £^t once the comfort and the ornament of your 
country. 



vi 



INTRODUCTION. 



The work is, as you will see by the title page, the produc- 
tion of 3Ir, Forsyth, the King's gardener at Kensington and 
St. James's. He, some years ago, made public his method of 
curing diseased and decayed fruit and forest-trees, for which 
disclosure, after a very minute examination, made by men of 
great skill, his Majesty, at the recommendation of both Houses 
of Parliament, granted him a reward of four thousand pounds. 
A full account of this examination, together with its result, 
you will find in the appendix to the present work. 

During the last summer (1801), I went with a party of 
friends, to be an eye witness of the effects (of which I had 
heard such wonders related) of this gentleman's mode of cul- 
tivating and curing trees ; and, though my mind had received 
a strong prepossession in its favour, what I saw very far sur- 
passed my expectation. Mr. Forsyth, whose book was not 
then published, did us the favour to shew us the manuscript of 
it, and also the drawings for the plates, which are now to be 
found at the end of the v/ork. After having r^ad those parts 
of the manuscript, which more immediately refeiTed to the 
drawings, we went into the gardens, and there saw every tree 
which the drawings were intended to represent, and of which 
we found them to be a most exact representation. 

We examined these trees from the ground to the topmost 
branches ; we counted the joints in the wood, ascertained the 
time and extent of its growth, and, in short, verified every 
fact that the book related. To raise fine flourishing wood 
from an old cankered, gummy, decayed stem ; to raise as much 
wood on that stem, in three years, as could have been raised 
on the finest young tree, in twelve years ; to take the rotten 
wood from the trunk, to replace it with sound wood, actually 
to fill up the hollows, and, of a mere shell, to make a full, 
round, and solid trunk : all this seems incredible ; but of all 
this we saw indubitable proof. The superiority of Mr. For- 



INTRODUCTION. 



vii 



syth's mode of pruning might have been very fairly inferred 
from the abundance and excellence of the fruit, v/ith which 
every tree in his gardens was loaded, while those in other 
gardens had but a partial and scanty crop, and that much in- 
ferior in quality ; but Forsyth has left the merit of no part of 
his system to be gathered from inference, and, therefore, 
not content with shewing the effects of his art by the contrast 
exhibited between his own garden and those of other persons, 
not content even with this contrast as exhibited between differ- 
ent trees in his own garden, and standing close to one another, 
he has most successfully exhibited it between different branches 
of the same tree. By turning to the chapter on Pears, and by 
referring to plate 7, you will see the portrait of a Pear-Tree, 
one branch of which we found pruned in the common way, 
and the other branches according to the method taught by this 
book. The fruit on the former we found small, hard, knotted, 
and tasting almost as bad as the fruit, %vhich, in America, is 
called the Cloak- Pear ; on the other branches, the fruit was 
large and clear, and of an excellent flavour. 

To enter into an analysis of the several parts of the work 
is by no means my intention. Indeed, all I intend, by this in- 
troduction, is to call 5'our attention to a work, which, I am 
fuUv persuaded, you will find a most valuable assistant, in your 
rural pursuits. The detail of my remarks, alterations, and 
additions, you will find scattered through the several chapters 
of the book ; but, I cannot, even here, refrain from recom- 
mending to your particular notice, the directions for planting, 
restoring, and perpetuating your Apple Orchards ; for preserv- 
ing your Peach-Trees from those mischievous insects, which 
now render them so ytry short-lived ; and for the propagating 
and training of your vines ; on which three important heads, 
you appear to me to stand in need of the very information that 
is herein communicated. 



viii 



INTRODUCTION. 



That Providence may smile on all your labours, give 
abundance to your fields and happiness to your family, is the 
sincere and earnest prayer of, 

Dear Sir, 

Your most faithful friend, 

And most obedient Servant, 

WILLIAM COBBETT. 



PREFACE 

OF 

THE AUTHOR. 



the many publications that have appeared on the man- 
agement of Fruit and Forest Trees, it may be thought super- 
-fluous to add ; and, indeed, so litde am I accustomed to the 
practice of writing, that I feel no small degree of reluctance in 
offering any thing to public inspection ^ but an entire convic- 
tion of the advantages to be derived from the observations and 
directions contained in the fjUowing pages, joined to the im- 
portunity of many of the most competent judges, has deter- 
mined me to make my method of pruning and training, and 
the success attending it, as public as possible. 

Having long observed, the scanty crops both on wall and 
standard trees that have followed the usual mode of pruning 
and training, I was led to make many experiments, in order to 
discover, if it were possible, a more successful method. Nor 
have my endeavours been in vain ; for, after following a new 
mode for several years, I can with pleasure affirm, that the 
quantity of fruit has been remarkably increased, and the qual- 
ity greatly improved. 

I have in the following pages stated many facts, to evince 
the utility of the composition recommended, and to induce 
others to make a fair trial, which may be done at a very tri- 
fling expence. 

I only request of those who entertain any doubts, that 
•ihey will make choice of two trees of the same kind, as near 
j^s may be in the same state of health or d^-cay, and having equal 



X 



PREFACE, 



advantages of soil and situation ; let the dead, decayed, and 
injured parts be cut out; then to one of the trees apply the 
composition as directed in this treatise, and leave the other to 
nature: if proper attention be paid to the former, no great 
length of time v^ill be necessary to shew which method ought 
to be pursued in future. 

I hope the candid reader will pardon me for dwelling a 
little on this subject. It has been said, that there is nothing 
new either in the composition or its application. It is certainly 
true, that compositions of various kinds have been tried ; but 
no one has been attended with such great success as that which 
is described in the following pages : Indeed, they were gene- 
rally made up in a slovenly manner, and applied without pro- 
perly preparing the trees ; so that little good could have been 
expected, even if the composition had consisted of proper ma- 
terials. In these particulars I am persuaded, that every im- 
partial person will acknowledge that I have made great im- 
provement. Former compositions have been made up of loam 
and cow or horse-dung, of bees-wax, pitch, tar, chalk, rosin 
mixed with grease, gums, &c. It is granted, that such as 
these may sometimes be of use, but not in general; most o£ 
them being liable to become hard, and to crack and peel oiF. 
I have tried them all, with but very little success. I have also 
tried a composition of tarras (which is used as a cement for 
building under water) : This also cracked and peeled off after 
it became hard. Some of these compositions become so hard, 
that, instead of giving way to the new bark as it is produced, 
they cut and tear it, to the great injury of the tree. 

The composition which I recommend is not liable to these 
inconveniences ; it possesses an absorbent and adhesive quality, 
and is moreover of such a nature as not in the least to hurt the 
new and tender bark ; for it easily gives way to it and to the 
new wood as they advance. On applying it to trees which 
contain a strong acid, such as oaks, apple-trees, apricots, &c. 
when infected with the canker, that disease may be seen oozing 



PREFACE. 



through the composition and adhering to the outside, like cop- 
per dust, or rust of iron, and may be easily rubbed off with the 
hand. This appearance I never could observe on the applica- 
tion of any other composition ; which confirms my belief that 
it acts as a strong stimulant. 

When the wounds in fruit trees are so large as not to heal 
up in the course of a twelvemonth, I renew the composition 
annually, which, on its application, invigorates the trees, and 
seems to have the same elFect on them as a top-dressing of dung 
has on land. 

I have been solicited by some of my friends to add a chap- 
ter on forcing grapes, peaches, and nectarines ; and to give a 
description of a house for that purpose ; but as it would swell 
the book to too great a size, and as the subject is fully treated 
of by many others, it seems unnecessary to say any thing far- 
ther here, than just to observe, that the method of pruning and 
training recommended in this book, is equally applicable to 
trees in a forcing-house as to those on a natural wall. When 
vines are trained straight up the rafters of hot-houses, they 
throw out a few eyes only at top, and all the rest of the branch 
becomes naked j but when trained in a serpentine manner, they 
break equally. 

Dwarf peaches and nectarines planted in the pits of forc- 
ing-houses should be trained horizontally ; in which mode they 
will produce much more fruit than when they are trained fan- 
fashion. 

It must be observed, that the directions, &c. in the fol- 
lowing pages are calculated for the neighbourhood of London; 
it will, therefore, be necessary to make allowance, in other cli- 
mates, for the earliness or lateness of their seasons, both with 
regard to the time of fruit being in perfection, and also for * 
planting, pruning, &c. 

For the information of those who are not acquainted with 
practical gardening, the following explanation of what is called 
heading-down is given. 



PREFACE. 



When jToung trees are planted out from the nursery, as^ 
soon as they begin to break in the spring, they are cut down tc 
three or four eyes, according to their strength, to furnish them 
with bearing wood : If this were not done, they would run up 
in long naked branches, and would not produce one quarter of 
the fruit which they do when this operation is properly per- 
formed. The same holds good in heading all kinds of old 
trees. 

An opinion prevails, particularly in those parts where ap- 
ple-trees are cultivated to any considerable extent^ that trees 
never bear well after heading-^do^Vn, and that ir frequently kills 
them. This may," no doubt, sometimes happen when they are 
improperly headed-dov^^n all at once, by giving a sudden check 
to the sap, the few weak shoots not having strength to draw up 
w^hat is supplied by the roots ; and moreover, not being capable 
of sheltering one another, they are chilled by the cold, and so 
rendered at least unproductive, if they are not totally killed* 
But if heading were done graduall)^, that is, if every other 
branch all over the tree were headed at a proper length, cutting 
as near to those parts where the shoots appear as possible, in 
the month of February or March^ or even as late as May 
in the course of the summer they would throw out fine long 
shoots. These should not be shortened' the first year, unless 
it be necessary to shbrten a few to fill up the head of the tree 
with bearing wood, and that should be done in the following 
spring; cutting them to six or eight inches long, according to 
their strength. In the next spring after the first branches are 
headed, the remaining old branches may be cut out ; and these 
will soon fill the head of the tree with fine bearing wood. In 
three years, if properly managed, trees so headed will produce 
a much greater quantity of fruit and of a better quality than 
they did before the operation was performed... 

* In the Middle States of America this operation should never be per- 
formed till the middle of March, and not later than the 20th of April. 



TREATISE 

ON 

THE CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 

OF 

FRUIT TREES, &c. 



CHAPTER 1» 



OF APRICOTS^. 



Different Sorts described,.. Planting and Heading...The Manage^ 
ment of decayed Trees. ^.Pruning of Apricots, and how to shel- 
ter them from cold. 

The Apricot, we are told, came originally from Armenia^ 
whence it takes the name of Armeniaca, and was introduced 
into this country in 1562. 

Linnseus, according to the Sexual System, arranges it in 
the twelfth class, Icosandria Monogyniaf ; and comprehends 
in the genus Prunus, the Apricot, the Cherry, and the Bird- 
Cherry ; making them only diiferent species of the same genus. 

Although the above-meniioned plants are arranged under 
the same genus, yet the Cherry and Plum will never take upon 

* We shall enumerate, under their respective heads, the principal sorts of 
fruit that are propagated in this country; with the time of their ripening, as 
near as possible. It is to be observed, however, that the diversity of seasons^ 
-together with that of soil and situation, will sometimes make a month of dif- 
ference in the ripening of the fruit. 

f Most of our eatable fruits are arranged under this class; and it is re- 
markable, that there is not one poisonous fruit to be found in it. 



2 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



each other, nor the Apricot upon the Cherr^^ ; but the Apricot 
will take upon all sorts of Plums, except the Brussels. 

The Names and Qualities of Apricots cominojily cultivated in 
England^ -with the Time of their Ripening, 

1. The Masculine. This is a small roundish fruit. It is 
the earliest of all the Apricots, ripening about the latter end of 
July, and is chiefly esteemed for its tart taste ; when fully ripe, 
it is of a red colour towards the sun, and of a greenish yellow 
on the other side* 

2. The Orange. This is pretty large, but rather dry and 
insipid, and fitter for tarts than for the table. It is of a deep 
yellow colour when ripe, which is about the latter end of Au- 
gust. This is considered as the best for preserving. 

3. The Algiers. This is a flatted oval-shaped fruit, of a 
straw colour, juicy and high flavoured. It ripens about the 
middle of August. 

4. The Roman. This is larger than the Algiers, rounder, 
of a deep yellow, and not quite so juicy. It is ripe about the 
middle or latter end of August. 

5. The Turkey. This is a larger, and of a deeper colour, 
than the Roman ; its shape more giobular, and the flesh firmer 
and drier. It ripens about the latter end of August. 

6. The Breda (brought from thence to England) is ori- 
ginally from Africa. It is large, round, and of a deep yellow 
colour ; the flesh is soft and juicy. This is an excellent fruit, 
especially if ripened on a standard. It ripens about the lattei 
end of August. 

7» The Brussels. This is held in very great esteem on 
account of its bearing so well on standards, or large dwarfs. 
It is of a middling size, red towards the sun, with many dark 
spots , and of a greenish yellow on the other side. This has 
a brisk flavour, is not liable to be mealy or doughy, and is pre= 
ferred by many to the Breda ; but when the Breda is planted 
as a standard, the fruit is more juicy and of a richer flavour- 
This ripens in August on a wall, but not before the latter end 
of September on standards. 

8. The Moor Park, called also Anson, Temple, and 
Dunmore's Breda. This is a fine fruit, and ripens about the 
latter end of August. 

9. The Peach Apricot. This was introduced from Paris, 
by his grace the Duke of Northumberland, at Sion-house, in 
17'67. It is the finest and largest of all Apricots, and is gene- 
rally thought to be the same as the Moor-Park ; but upon a 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 3 



minute examination the leaves will be found to differ. It ri- 
pens in August. 

10. The Black Apricot. This has been very lately intro- 
duced, by Sir Joseph Banks, from France, in which country 
it is highly esteemed. 

The trees that Sir Joseph planted at his seat in Spring 
Grove, near Hounslow, bore fruit last season, for the first time 
in this country ; but, in consequence of the wet and unfavour- 
able weather, it did not arrive at perfection^. It ripens about 
the second week in August. 

To the foregoing viay be added: 

The Great Apricot, The Dutch Apricot, 

Holland ditto, Grover's Breda, 

Provence ditto, Persian, 
Alberge, Royal Orange, 

Angumoise, Transparent, 
Blotched-leaved, Portugal Apricot, (a small 

Nancy Apricot, (a fine fruit), 
large fruit). 

For the accommodation of those who have small gardens, 
and yet wish to have a regular succession of fruit, v\^e shall give 
abstracts of the larger selections ; retaining those kinds only 
which are best adapted for that purpose ; and of which one or_ 
more trees of a sort may be planted, according to the size of 
the garden, or the demand of the family. 

A Selection of Apricots for a small Garden, 

The Masculine, the Roman, the Orange, the Breda, and 
the Moor Park. 

Of the Plantings Pruning^ and Traijiing of Apricots. 

The best time for planting Apricots is in Autumn, as soon 
as the leaf begins to fall. The person who goes to the nursery 

* I have had the honour of paying Sir Joseph a visit at Spring Grove, 
where I had the pleasure of tasting one of these Apricots ; and I think it will 
prove an acquisition well worth cultivating. The black colour of the fruit 
may, perhaps, prejudice some persons against it ; but the flavour, in my opinion, 
is very good; and if it be considered, that the wood of 1799 was not well 
ripened, owing to the wet season, there is little doubt, that, next year, if the 
season should be favourable, the flavour of the fruit will be greatly impi-oved, 
and continue improving till the tree comes to maturity. The scantiness of the 
present crop of Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, Sec. may be attributed to the 
wood not being properly ripened last year. 

In Mayer's " Pomona Franconia," will be found a very good figure of 
the Black Apricot, called also the Alexandrian Apricot. 



4 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



fbr the plants should make choice of those which have the 
strongest and cleanest stems ; and if he can procure such as 
have been headed down, (to use the phrase of the nursery-men) 
of two or three years growth, they will bear and fill the walls 
much sooner than those which have not been so treated. He 
should make choice of trees with one stem ; or, if they have 
two, one of them should be cut off ; for by planting those with 
two stems the middle of the tree is left naked, and, of course, 
one third of the wall remains uncovered. 

I know that it is the practice of many to make choice of 
trees with the smallest stems ; but these always produce weaker 
shoots than the others. 

On preparing the Borders^* 

If the borders wherein the trees are to be planted be new, 
they should be made two feet and a half or three feet deep, of 
good light fresh loam. If the trees are to be planted in old 
borders, where the earth has been injured by the roots of the 
former trees, it will be necessary to take out the old mould at 
least three feet deep, and four feet wide, filling up the hole 
with fres^j loam, and taking care to plant the trees about eight 
inches higher than the level of the old border, to allow for the 
sinking of the earth, that they may not be too deep in the 
ground ; but this will be more fully treated of in the chapter 
on Pear-trees. 

When the trees are planted, they should by no means be 
headed down till they begin to throw out fresh shoots. Strong 
trees should be cut a foot from the graund , and those that are 
weak, about half that length. 

In backward seasons, they should not be headed down so 
early ; never until the buds are fairly broken ; always observ- 
ing to cut sloping towards the wall, and as near to an eye as 
possible, that the young leading shoot may cover the cut ; [See 
Plate 1. Fig, 1.] which operation should be again performed in 
the next March or April-f-. The shoots that are then thrown 
out must be trained horizontally, to cover the wall. The num- 
ber of these to be left out ought to be from three to six on 

* The American readei* will not readily know what is here meant by the 
word Borders; it is therefore necessary to observe to him, that the finer kinds 
of fruit trees are, in England, trained against walls, and that there is generally 
a walk goes round the garden, running in a parallel line with the wall, at the 
distance of about ten feet from it; the space between the walk and the wall, is 
called the Border ; so that, when the author speaks of the soil and tillage of 
the Borders, he is merely speaking of the soil and tillage of the land, in which 
the several trees are, or may, be planted. 

t The same season v/ill do for the IMiddle States of America. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc. 5 



side, according to the strength of the main shoot ; taking care 
to rub off, with the finger and thumb, the fore-right shoots ali 
over the tree, except a few which may be wanted to fill up the 
wall, near the body of it. [See Plate 1. Fig, 1.] * 

In the second year, the horizontal shoots must be short- 
ened in the same manner, according to their growth ; and so 
on every year till the wall shall be completely covered from top 
to bottom. 

It is a frequent practice with some gardeners, to head down 
the trees at the time of planting ; which very often proves fatal 
to them. 

Of old and decayed Trees » 

When a tree becomes thin of bearing wood it will be neces- 
sary to cut down the whok of it, as near to the place where it 
was budded as possible ; remembering always to cut at an eye 
or a joint. If there should be any young shoots on the lower 
part of the tree, it will be proper to leave them, training them 
horizontally, which will check the flow of the sap, and thereby 
render them much more fruitful. 

Very frequently, when large branches have been cut off in 
a careless manner, and the wounds left to nature, the whole tree 
is infected with the gum and canker ; which, if not checked, 
will in a short time totally ruin it. 

The best remedy in this case is, carefully to pare off the 
cankered part of the bark with a knife, or other convenient in- 
strument. You will frequently find the white inner bark in- 
fected, which must also be cut away, till no appearance of in- 
fection remains ; this may be easily known by the brown or 
black spots, like dots made with a pen, of which not one must 
be suffered to remain. 

All the branches so cut and pared should be immediately 
covered with the composition in a liquid state ; the preparation 
and application of which will be particularly described in ano* 
ther place. 

When trees are in a very bad condition, they should be cut 
in a partial manner, taking off the worst branches first, particu- 
larly those in the middle of the tree, always cutting as near to 
the graft as possible ; or every other branch may at first be takers 

* The directions which are given for trees against a wall, will apply, with 
equal force to standard trees, except that the stems, or trunks, of these latter 
should be higher, and, consequently, they should not be headed down so near 
the ground. The Apricots, which 1 have seen in America, are hard, and not 
above one-third part as large as the same fruit in England, a difference which 
is entirely owing to want of attention to rules such as are here laid down. 

C 



5 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



out, leaving the rest to bear ; by which means there will be a 
supply of fruit while the other parts of the tree are renovating. 
It should be remembered, however, that all the cankered bark 
must be cut off without loss of time ; otherwise the new wood 
will be infected. 

Old trees thus headed down will sometimes throw out very 
strong and vigorous shoots, which it may be necessary to top, 
as it will cause them to throw out side-shoots ; but they should 
never be suffered to have any fore^right spurs, except little dugs. 
The topping should be done in the beginning of June, which 
will cause the tree to produce fine bearing wood for the next 
year. Those trees must be pruned in March following^^ 
shortening the shoots from fifteen to six inches, but according 
to their strength, always leaving the strongest shoots longest. 

Wherever the knife has been used, the composition must 
be immediately applied. 

I have a great dislike to Autumnal pruning of fruit trees ; 
of all kinds of stone fruit in particular ; for by pruning at that 
season you seldom fail to bring on the canker ; and no fruit 
trees are more liable to this disease than the Apricot. The rea- 
son is obvious : The great acidity in these trees, the exposure 
of the wounds, and the dormant state of the sap, pre-disposc 
to mortification ; v/hereas, in spring, when the sap is beginning 
to flow, and will follow the knife, the lips will quickly grov/. 
If the branches are small, a fresh bark and fresh wood will in 
one season completely cover the wound ; but if large, a time 
proportionate to their size will be occupied ; this process, how- 
ever, is manifestly much accelerated by the application of the 
composition, which excludes the air and wet from the air and 
sap vessels of the tree. 

Of the Sorts, 

The Breda is the best and richest-flavoured for a standard, 
although the Brussels is frequently preferred. 

The Breda, the Brussels, and the Moor-Park, should al- 
ways be planted on an East or West aspect. Others may have 
a South aspectf . 

* The latter end of June and March should be taken, in America for this 
business. I will here observe, once for all, that I confine my observations to 
the Middle States of the Union. 

t Apricots bear pretty well as standards, even in England, and it cannot 
1)6 supposed, that, if the the above directions were well attended to, they would 
jnot produce grcfit quantities of fine fruit in America. 



CO 



CHAPTER Hi 



OF PLUMS. 

iyifferent Sorts of Plums cultivated in England,., *0f Flant~hea(i^ 
ing and training them^iOf Standards in Orchards^ and Dwarfs 
in Gar dens, **»The Management of old decayed Trees, 

The Plum is generally supposed to be a native of Asia, 
and the Damascene to take its name from Damascus, a city of 
Syria. 

This Genus of Plants is arranged by Linnseus in the twelfth 
class of his System. 

The Names and ^alities of those Plums which are commonly 

cultivated in England^ with their Time of ripenings 

1 . The Jaunhative, or White Primordian, is a small plum, 
of a yellow colour, and mealy. It ripens in the latter end of 
July, or beginning of August. One tree will be sufficient for 
a garden, 

2* The Early Damask, commonly called the Morocco 
Plum, is middle-sized, and the flesh good* It ripens about 
the beginning of August. 

3. The Little Black Damask Plum is a rich fruit, a good 
bearer, and is ripe about the latter end of August. 

4« The Damask Violet of Tours. This is a fine rich 
plum of a bluish colour, and is ripe in August. 

5. The Red Orleans Plum is large of a rich juice, and is 
ripe in the latter end of August. 

6. The Fotheringham is an excellent plum, of a dark red 
and the juice rich ; there is hardly any plum that excels it. 

7. The Blue Perdrigon Plum is of a very good taste, and 
ripens in August. 

8. The White Perdrigon Plum is a pretty good fruit, and 
has a sweetish taste mixed with tartness. It ripens in the be- 
ginning of September. 

9. The Red Imperial Plum, or Red Bonum Magnum, is a 
great bearer, and mostly used for baking. It is ripe about the 
latter end of September. 



8 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



10. The White Imperial Bonum Magnum, or EggPlunij 
White Holland, or Mogul Plum, is a large fruit, and, like the 
red, mostly used for baking. This is a great bearer, and 
ripens about the beginning of October. 

11. La Royal is a fine plum, equal to the Green Gage^ 
but a shy bearer. It is of a red colour, and ripens in the latter 
end of September. 

12. Little Queen Claudia is a small rich fruit, ripe in Sep- 
tember. 

13 Large Queen Claudia, or Dauphiny. This is an ex- 
cellent plum, of a yellowish green, and ripens about the be- 
ginning of October, 

14. The Green Gage Plum* is of an exquisite taste, and 
eats like a sweetmeat. Its colour and size sufficiently distin- 
guish it from any other. It ripens in August and September, 

15. Draps d'Or is a good plum, and a plentiful bearer. 
It is ripe about the latter end of September. 

16. The Cliester Plum is rich, and a great bearer. It is 
ripe about the latter end of September. 

17. The Apricot Plum is large and sweet, and is ripe in 
the beginning of October. 

18. The Maitre Claud is a large round whitish plum j 
the juice is very brisk, though sweet. It is accounted among 
the best white plums that we have, and ripens about the be- 
ginning of October. 

19. The Myrobalans, or Cherry Plum, is a middle-sized 
sweet fruit, and ripens about the beginning of September. 
This plum is frequently planted for ornament, as it blossoms 
early. 

20. La Mirabelle, of an amber colour, and small, is full 
of juice, and excellent for sweetmeats. It bears well, and is 
ripe about the beginning of September. 

21 « The Brignole Plum. This is esteemed the best plum 
of any for sweetmeats ; the flesh is dry, but of a rich flavour. 
It is ripe about the latter end of September. 

22. The Red Diaper Plum is large, and of a very high 
flavour. It ripens about the beginning of September. 

23. The Samt Catharine Plum is one of the best, and is 
much used for confectionary ; it is also very good for the ta- 
ble, having a rich sweet juice ; and is a good bearer, hanging 
the longest of any upon the tree. I have had them in gather- 
ing six weeks. It ripens about the latter end of September. 

24. The Imperatfice, or Empress Plum, has an agreeable 
flavour, and ripens about the middle of October. This is one 

* There are several varieties of this pluai, and all good. 



MANAGEMEINIT OF FRUIT TREES, ^c. 9 



of the latest plums, and should not be gathered till it begins 
to shrivel ; it will then eat like a sweetmeat, and make a 
great addition to the table in the latter end of October and be- 
ginning of November. 

25. Monsieur's, or the Wentworth Plum, is a large fruit 
resembling the Bonum Magnum. It ripens about the begin- 
ning of October, and is good for preserving, but too sharp to 
be eaten raw. 

26. TheWinesour, a Yorkshire plum, one of the best 
for preserving. It is ripe in October. 

To the above may be added: 

Admirable, Early Orleans, 

Black Damascene, Fine Early Plum, 

Black Pear, Jacinthe, or Hyacinth^ 

Blue Matchless, Koa^s Imperial, 

Damas noir de Tours, La Prune Suisse, 

Don Carlos's, La Prune valeur Valentia* 

Double-flowered, Matchless, 

Early Blue Primordian, Maugeron, 

Early Red Primordian, Muscle, 

Early Amber, Persian, 

Early Tours, or Precoce Red Queen Mother^ 

de Tours, Royal Pea, 

Early Violet, Royal Dauphin, 

St. Julian, Verte-dock, or Verdock^ 

Semina, Whitton, or Nutmeg, 

Small White Damascene White Bullace, 

Spanish Damascene, White Orleans, 

Striped-leaved, White Pear, 

True Prune, White Perdrigon. 

A Selection of Plums for a small Garden. 
The Jaunhative ; Early Damask ; the Orleans ; La Royal ; 
Green Gage (different sorts) ; Draps d'Orr ; Saint Catharine ; 
and Imperatrice. The Magnum Bonum for baking, and the 
Winesour for preserving. 

On the Choice^ Plantings Pruning^ of Plum-Trees, 

When you choose your trees, let the same directions be 
observed as in the choice of Apricots. Choose clean straight 
plants with single stems ; as those with two never make hand- 
some trees for walls or standards. Manage the border as be- 
fore directed for Apricots ; digging the holes the same width 
and depth, and loosening the bottom j then fill up the holes 



io TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



with fine fresh loam, or the mould that was used the preceding 
year for melon and cucumber beds ; and be careful to keep the 
mould a proper height above the border, and the roots of your 
trees as near the surface as possible, spreading them horizon- 
tally. If there are any tap-roots they should always be cut off, 
as should also the fine hairy roots, as they are liable to get 
mould3/ and rot, and thereby bring on a putrefaction of the 
mould about the root of the tree. If the roots are not spread 
near the surface of the ground, it will prevent the sun and air 
from penetrating to them ; and the fruit, of course, will not 
have so fine a flavour. 

Never cut the stems of young Plum-trees when first plant- 
ed, but leave them till the buds begin to break ; then you may 
head them down to five or more eyes, always observing to 
leave an odd one for the leading shoot: remember to cut slop- 
ing towards the wall, and as near to an eye as possible. Thus 
managed, the shoots will soon fill the wall with fine wood. If 
5'ou find that some of the shoots are too luxuriant, you may 
pinch the tops off with your finger And thumb, about the be- 
ginning of j une in the first year after planting ; by doing which 
you Vv411 obtain plenty of wood to fill the bottom of the walL 
A great deal depends on the first and second year's manage- 
ment of your trees. 

The distance from each other at which Plum-trees should 
be planted against a wall depends on the height of the wall. If 
the wall be ten feet high, which is the common height they 
may be planted at eight yards distance from tree to tree ; but 
if the vv'all be twelve feet high, or more, seven yards will be 
sufficient. For my part, I prefer a wall of ten or twelve feety 
which will be found high enough, if the branches are trained 
horizontally; by which means your trees will be much more 
fruitful, and not grow soluxuriandy. 

By training, an upright shoot on your Plums, as directed 
for Pears, you will get fine kind shoots from the sides. The 
leading shoot should be shortened, leaving it from one to two 
feet long, according to its strength. If the leading shoot be 
very strong, you may top it twice in the summer, as directed 
for Pears, and at the same time that you top them ; repeating 
the same ever}^ year till the wall is filled to the top. I would 
always recommend, where it is convenient, to allot one wall 
for Plums and another for Cherries, as they always thrive best 
by themselves. 

As you will have Plum-trees to spare, that were planted 
between Pear-trees, when they begin to meet, they should be 
planted against another wall, or planted out as Dwarf Stand- 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 11 



ards. Those which you intend for Standards should be pre- 
pared in the following manner. The year before you mean to 
transplant them, cut in the side-shoots at different lengths, from 
one foot to three, according to the size of the trees ; suffering 
them to grow rude all the summer, neither nailing-in nor cut- 
ting the side and foreright shoots. Some time during the win^ 
ter open the ground round their roots, and cut in the strong 
ones (which will cause them to put forth fine young fibres) ; then 
fill in the earth. In the following autumn, or during the win- 
ter (the sooner the better), ycu may transplant them out as 
Standards^. If you intend to plant them against a wall, ne- 
ver cut the side-shoots, but only the roots ; by this method the 
trees will bear fruit the first year after transplanting, and there 
will be a great saving of time and money. I have often trans- 
planted old Plum-trees that have been headed down, that have 
made very fine roots, which I have divided, and thereby ob- 
tained four or five trees from one, cutting them so as to form 
them into fine heads. Some that were transplanted in 1798 
were in full blossom in 1799, producing some fruit, and this 
year (1800) bearing a full crop. 

The ground in the borders and quarters where fresh trees 
are to be planted should be well trenched, two spits deep at 
least, to give the roots room to run into the fresh-stirred 
ground. 

When you plant trees without stirring the mould, they 
seldom thrive well. 

When Plum-trees are planted for Standards in an orchard 
which is to be kept for grass, they should be in rows at the 
distance of twenty yards from each otherf . If in the kitchen 
garden for Standards, I would always recommend the plant- 
ing of Dwarfs. You may train the tree up to have a stem of 
about three feet high, at the distance of seventeen yards. If 
the garden is laid out with cross-walks, or foot-paths, about 
three feet wide, make the borders six feet broad, and plant the 
trees in the middle of them. In the Royal gardens at Ken- 
sington, which are very long and narrow, ?nd where the winds 

* In transplanting of trees, especially large ones, I consider it to be of 
great consequence, that they be placed in the same position (that is, having 
the same parts facing the same points of the compass) as formerly. If you 
take notice when a tree is cut down, you will nnd that three parts in four of 
the growth are on the North side. 

t The directions, contained in this paragraph exactly apply to America; 
but almost all the rules relative to planting and pruning wall trees, apply 
equally to standards ; and as the author has, in general, given his directions 
an speaking of wall-trees, I'le American reader will be careful not to overlook 
t)iem, merdy because they are not repeated in speaking of standard-trees. 



12 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



are very hurtful, I have planted two rows of Apple-trees, in* 
termixed with other fruit-trees, alternately, one row on each 
side of the middle walk (which runs the whole length of the 
garden), at the distance of seventeen yards from each other. 
1 have also made cross-walks of three feet broad, at the dis- 
tance of seventy yards, with borders on each side six feet 
wide, having two rows of trees in each border, about twelve 
or fourteen feet asunder. These Dwarf trees are very useful 
in breaking the force of high winds, and are at the same time 
of such a height that a man standing on the ground may ga- 
ther the fruit. As Plum-trees may be planted in the same 
manner and for the same purpose as the above, you can have 
the quarters clear for crops for the kitchen, and a free air wiil 
be admitted, which you can never have if you plant Espa- 
liers : Dwarf Standards can be kept to what size you please : 
they look much handsomer than Espaliers, and produce a 
greater quantity of fruit. 

On pruning end restoring old and decayed Plum-Trees. 

I have restored Plum-trees, some of which were so far 
decayed as to have only from one to two or three inches of 
bark left ; they are now completelv filled up with sound wood, 
with large heads, which at four years growth filled a wall six- 
teen feet high, and are at this time full of fine fruit; some of 
the stems are several inches in circumference, bearing treble 
the crops produced by young trees that have been planted three 
times as long as they have been headed down. 

Where the trunks are become hollow, I always cut out all 
the loose rotten parts, and also examine the roots, cutting oif 
v/hat is rotten, injured, or decayed. This method should be 
pursued with all hollow and decayed trees ; and, if properly 
executed, they mav be so completel}^ filled up, as scarcelv to 
leave a mark behind, even where the wood is totally decayed.* 

I have had shoots from Plum-trees which have been head- 
ed, that have grown upwards of seven feet long, and as large as 
a walking-stick, in one summer; this should never be suffered ; 
but they should be pinched off with the finger and thumb, in the 
beginning of Junef ; close to an eye or a bud ; unless the wall 
be filled up to the top ; in which case thev should never be cut 
while they continue to bear handsome fruit. Before they be- 
gin to cease form bearing, you must always begin with short- 
ening every other shoot, leaving them only from six inches to 

* Astonishing as this really is, I was v/itness of the truth of the state- 
ment. 

f The middle, or latter end of June, for America. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. IS 



a foot long, and nail them in till the second year, taking care to 
rub off the superfluous and strong fore-right shoots ; by that 
time they will begin to bear ; then cut out the others that have 
done bearing : By this method you will keep the trees in a 
flourishing state. When the branches are thus managed, they 
will frequently throw out small dugs, or fore-right shoots, 
about an inch or two long, which will flower next year. They 
should never be shortened till after the fruit is set and become 
about the size of a large pea ; by that time the leaves will have 
covered the fruit, and be able to protect it from the inclemency 
of the weather. You may now shorten these shoots close to 
the fruit, which -will leave them from one to two inches long. 
This method I have practised with great success for several 
years. By leaving these short fore-right shoots, the fruit is 
protected till it is out of danger of being killed by the frost, 
or stunted by the cold North and North-west winds that hap- 
pen about the latter end of March and beginning of April. The 
cold chilling rain and snow, which are also very injurious to 
the fruit, will be thrown out by the branches standing out from 
the trees. I by no means like to see spurs standing out from 
the wall; for they are always sure to be injured by the frost 
and cold winds. [See Plate 2. Fig, 2.] When the shoots are 
left naked, I have often seen the plums turn yellow, and drop 
after they have grown to a considerable size, from their being 
exposed to the cold frosty winds and rain. Plums are more 
tender than any other sort of stone fruit, owing to the flower- 
cup dropping sooner than that of the Peaches, and Nectarines, 
&c.^ They are very liable to decay, after cutting off large 
limbs or branches, which always brings on the gum and canker, 
if it be left to Nature to perform the cure. I would, therefore, 
recommend the application of the composition (in the same 
manner as directed for other sorts of fruit-trees) to every shoot 
where the knife touches, as soon as the trees are cut. 

If you wish your fruit to be large and fine, you must take 
care to thin it where it is too thick ; but that must not be done 
too soon, lest it should be pinched by the cold. The fruit 
ought to be of the size of a small marble, and well sheltered 
by the leaves, before you attempt to do this. Never pull off 
the leaves that shelter the fruit, till it is full-grown and be- 

* Some of the directions here given apply exclusively to wall-trees ; but 
-if the manner of pruning here recommended were observed in America, the 
fruit of the Plum would be much larger, finer flavoured, and in greater abun- 
dance than it now is. Mr. Forsyth prunes his standards by the help of a dou- 
ble ladder, which might be also done in America. 

D 



14 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



gins to turn. This will be more fullv treated of, when we 
come to the management of Pearhes and Nectarines. 

1 have taken up several old trees from the walls, when 
they have grown too near each other, and pknted them out as 
Standards, at the same time shortening their branches to form 
handsome heads, which are now lull of line fruit. These 
trees would, by any other person, have been thrown to the 
fagot-pile.* 

* Several of these trees, I saw, in 18GG, loaded with fruit so heavily as to 
require props to support the branches. The old stumps, out of which Mr. Forsyth 
had brought the new and pacific branches preserved iheir crooked and canker- 
ed shape, while the new wood was ex»-remely luxuriant and clear. The same 
I observed with respect to pears, apples, and other fruit trees, which were 
bendin£r under the weight of their fruit, while, in the neighbouring gardens, 
though onlv on the otlier side of the wall, the ov^rers had hardly fruit eriough 
for their tables. 



( 15 ) 



CHAPTER III. 



OF PEACHES. 

Different Sorts of Peaches described..,., Of the SoiL...Of plantings 
headings pruning^ and training...., Method of making Incisions 
,..,,0f covering Peach-Trees, xvatering, £s?c. 

Xhe Peach, Persica, is a native of Persia, and was intro- 
duced from thence into Europe. It belongs to the twelfth class 
of Linnseus. 

The following are the Sorts cultivated in this Country, 

[NB, Thoise marked with an Asterisk (*) adhere to the 
stone, and are by the French, called Pavies, and by the Ame- 
ricans, Cling Stones. J 

1. The White Nutmeg Peach. This peach is small, and 
the juice sugary. It is only esteemed as being first ripe. It 
is in eating in July, and soon grows mealy. 

2. The Red Nutmeg is a great bearer, and valued for its 
early maturity. It is of a bright vermilion colour, and has a 
fine musky taste. This peach is much esteemed, and ripens 
about the beginning of August. 

3. The Early Avant has an agreeable flavour, and ripens 
in August ; but is apt to be stringy. 

4. The Small Mignonne is very red on the side next the 
sun, and the flesh has a rich vinous juice. It is ripe about the 
middle of August. 

5. The Anne Peach (which is said to have taken its 
name from Mrs. Anne Dunch, of Pusey in Berkshire, where 
it was first raised) is a fine early fruit. It is ripe about the mid- 
dle or latter end of August. 

6. The Royal George Peach comes in soon after the for- 
mer ; the flower is large and white ; the fruit of a dark red 
towards the sun, and full of a fine rich juice. It is ripe about 
the latter end of August. 

7 . The Royal Kensington is one of the best peaches that 
we have ; of a high red colour next the sun, and of a yellow- 



16 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AMD 



ish colour next the wall ; it is a good bearer and not liable to 
be blighted. The flesh is full of rich juice. It ripens about 
the latter end of August, or beginning of September^. 

8. The Yellow Alberge is of a tolerable size and good 
taste, but should be perfectly ripe before it is gathered ; other- 
wise it is good for nothing. It is ripe about the middle of 
August. 

9. The White Magdalen. This peach is seldom high- 
flavoured, unless it be forced, and then it is excellent. It ri- 
pens about the middle of August. 

10. The Early Purple* This fruit is large, of a fine red 
colour, and full of rich vinous juice^ It is an excellent peach, 
and is ripe about the latter end of August. 

1 1. The Large, or French Mignonne, is a beautiful large 
red peach, and has a sweet high-flavoured juice. This is 
one of the best French peaches, and is ripe the latter end of 
August. 

12. The Bourdine is a pretty large fruit, of a fine red 
towards the sun ; the juice is rich and vinous ; the tree is a 
good bearer, especially when old, and the fruit highly esteem- 
ed. It is ripe about the middle of September. This tree 
will do very well in standards, and produces plenty of good 
fruit. 

13. The Chevreuse, or Belle Chevreuse. This is a good 
peach : it is of a middling size, and of a beautiful red colour ; 
the juice is rich and sweet. It ripens about the beginning of 
September, and is a plentiful bearer. 

14. The Red Magdalen is large, and full of rich sugary 
juice of excellent flavour. It is a very good peach, and ripens 
in the beginning of September. 

15. The Early Newington, or Smith's Newington, is of 
a beautiful red colour towards the sun, full of a sugary juice, 
and ripens in the beginning of September. 

16. The Mountauban is of a deep red, inclining to pur- 
ple, next the sun ; but pale towards the wall. It has a fine 
melting flesh, with a rich juice; and the tree is a plentiful 
bearer. It is ripe in the latter end of August. 

17. The Malta Peach. This is of a fine red next the sun. 
and has a white melting flesh ; the tree is a good bearer, and 
the fruit ripens in the beginning of September. 

* This handsome peach, I am told, was, with some others, sent from 
France to her Majesty, upwards of twenty years ago. I have therefore taken 
the liberty to give it the above name, that it may not be confounded with Mr. 
Grimwood's Kensington Peach. When I came to Kensington, in 1784, I found 
it mentioned in the Catalogue as a new peach from France. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. t7 



18. The Noblesse. This is a large peach, of a bright 
red colour towards the sun ; the flesh is melting, and the juice 
very rich in a good season. This tree is a good bearer, and 
the fruit is ripe in the beginning of September. 

19. ^The Old Nevvington Peach is of a fine red colour^ 
has a high vinous-tasted juice, and is esteemed a good Pavie. 
It ripens about the latter end of September. 

20. The Chancellor is one of the best sort of peaches, 
and of a fine red colour next the sun ; the skin is thin, the 
flesh melting, and the juice very rich. It ripens about the be- 
ginning of September. 

21. The Bellegrade Peach, or Gallande, is very largCy 
and of a deep purple colour towards the sun j the flesh melt- 
ing and full of a very rich juice. This is a fine peach and 
ripens about the middle of September. 

22. ^The Lisle Peach is of a middling size, and of a fine 
violet colour next the sun ; the flesh is melting and full of a 
vinous juice. It ripens about the middle of September. 

23. The Rosanna is of a fine purple colour next the sun, 
and has a rich vinous juice. It is reckoned a good peach, and 
is ripe about the middle of September* 

24. The Rambouiilet (commonly called the Rumbullion) 
is pretty large, and a fine red colour next the sun ; the flesh is 
melting, and the juice vinous and rich. It ripens about the 
latter end of September. 

25. The Admirable is a very large and beautiful peach, 
finely coloured with red towards the sun ; the flesh is melting,: 
and the juice sugary and of an exquisite taste. It ripens about 
the middle of September. 

26. *^The Bellis (La Belle de Vitry). This fruit is of a 
pale red towards the sun ; the flesh is white, and the juice vin- 
ous and rich. It is ripe in the latter end of September. 

27. *The Portugal is of a beautiful red towards the sun, 
and generally spotted ; the flesh is firm, and the juice rich and 
vinous. It ripens late in September. 

28. La Teton de Venus (Venus's Breast). This is a mid- 
dle-sized fruit, somewhat longish ; the side next the sun is of 
a pale red, the flesh melting, and the juice sugary and rich. 
It ripens about the latter end of September. 

29. La Pourpree (the late Purple). This fruit is large 
and of a purple colour ; the flesh is melting, and the juice su- 
gary and rich. It ripens the beginning of October. 

30. The Nivette is of a bright red next the sun, and of a 
yellowish cast towards the wall; the flesh is melting, and fuH 



U TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



of a rich juice. This is an excellent peach, and ripens about 
the middle of September. 

31. *The Monstrous Pavy of Poraponne. This peach 
is very large, and of a round form ; the flesh is white and melt- 
ing ; ii is of a fine red colour towards the sun. This ripens in 
the latter end of October. 

32. *-The Catharine Peach is a fine large fruit of a round 
make, and of a beautiful red colour towards the sun. The 
flesh is melting, and full of a rich juice. The pulp is im- 
proved by its laying three or four days before it be eaten. It 
ripens about the latter end of October ; but there are not many 
situations where it ripens well. It is a plentiful bearer. 

33. The Bloody Peach. This is of a deep red next the 
sun ; the flesh is also of a deep red* It seldom ripens in Eng- 
land without forcing; but is reckoned excellent for baking and 
preserving. 

34. I'he Royal (La Royale). This is a large round peachy 
of a deep red next the sun ; the flesh is melting and full of a 
rich juice. It ripens in the latter end of September. 

35i The Cherry Peach (Peche-cerise, of Duhamel,) is 
small and globular. It is of a beautiful red colour towards the 
sun, and of a whitish wax colour on the other side. Its colour, 
which resembles that of the Pbmme d' Api, gives this little 
peach a beautiful appearance. The flesh is melting, and the 
juice has a tolerably good flavour. On a dry soil and good eX" 
posure, it ripens about the beginning of October. 

36. Grimwood's New Royal George is a high coloured 
peach, and of a fine flavour. It ripens in the latter end of Au- 
gust, or beginning of Septemberf, 

37. The Superb Royal is a fine large peach of a red colour 
towards the sun, and pale on the other side. It ripens in Sep- 
tember. 

38. The Queen Charlotte nearly resembles the small Mig- 
non, and ripens about the same time. 

39. The Late Violet is esteemed a very fine peach, and 
ripens in September. 

To the foregoing may be added: 

Allen's Royal, Low's Large Melting, 

Bourdeaux, Mallacotan, 

Buckingham Mignonne, Millet's Mignonne, 

Carlisle, *Pavie Admirable^ 

Double Swalch, *Pavie Roj^al, 



t This peach seems to be the same as the Royal George. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 1^ 



Double Blossomed, Peche de Pau, 

Double Mountagne, Ronald's early Qallande, 

Dwarf Orleans, Sion, 

Eaton, Smooth-leaved Royal George, 

Fairscot's, Steward's late Gallande, 

Ford's Seedling, Vanguard, 

Hemskirk, Violette hative, 

^Incomparable, White Blossomed. 
Lord Falconberg's Mignonne, 

Peaches proper for a small Garden, 

The Early Avant ; Small Mignonne ; the Anne Peach ; 
Royal George ; Royal Kensington ; Noblesse ; Early New- 
ington ; Gallande ; Early Purple ; Chancellor ; Nivette ; the 
Catharine ; the late Newington. 

Of the Plantings Pruning^ Training, £9''c. of Peach-Trees. 

Peaches require a lighter soil than Pears and Plums ; and 
a light mellow loam is best. If the natural ground should be 
a strong brick mould, or rather inclinable to clay, it will be 
necessary to take out some of it, particularly when you first 
make the borders, and mix with it some light mould, sand, 
or old lime rubbish. At first making the borders, you should 
take out the earth where the trees are to be planted, as be- 
fore directed for Apricots ; and keep working the rest with 
rotten leaves, or street-dung, and the above mixture ; throw- 
ing them up, as early as you can spare them, in ridges rough 
from the spade, which will let the frost and sun penetrate and 
nieliorate the ground. 

If the ground should be wet, make some drains across the 
borders, to lead the water from the roots of the trees to a 
drain made along the middle walk. If the ground should 
have a slope, you can very easily convey the water off when 
the springs are near the surface , bat if the wet be occasioned 
by rains, and the stilFiiess of the ground holds the water, you 
should give the border a proper slope to carry it off from the 
roots of the trees. Fill the cross drains, leading to that along 
the middle of the walk, with old bricks or stones at bottom, 
and at top with rough gravel, which will keep the ground 
dry ; at tihe same time laving it sloping from the wall, so as 
to throw the water that falls in heavy rams toward the middle 
walk, where it will soon soak into the ground. When water 
is suffered to stand about the roots of tender trees in strong 
land, it is sure to bring on the mildew, which will spoil and 
render them good for nothing but the fagot-pile. Sometimes, 



so TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



indeed, I have recovered them, by moving them to another 
aspect. All the French Peaches are ver^' liable to mildew on 
strong land.* 

Where there is not a proper descent to carry off the water, 
the bottom of the main walk should be filled up with brick-bats 
or stones, and the small stones raked from the quarters of the 
garden, making a dry drain along the middle 9 inches wide, or 
more, covered with bricks or stones. The walk, when finish- 
ed, should have a gentle rise in the middle, in order to throw 
the rain water toward the edges. 

Where the soil is a sour wet clay, it will be necessary to 
throw into the bottom of the border brick-bats covered with 
lime rubbish, or core from the skreenings of lime ; then water 
it, and when nearly dry ram it well, which will convert it into 
a hard solid surface, and prevent the roots of the trees from 
penetrating the wet earth below. It will also serve to carry 
off the water to the drains. 

With regard to the choice of Peach Trees, the directions 
already given for Apricots will serve. They should be pro- 
cured in the latter end of October, or beginning of Novem- 
ber, as soon as the leaf begins to fall ; and, if possible, the 
ground be ready beforehand. 

The ground, if new borders, should be well trenched to 
receive the trees ; if to supply the places of others which have 
been removed, or where trees have died, all the old roots 
should be carefully taken out, and fresh mould put in where 
the old was taken away ; remembering to raise the new mould 
a proper height above the old ; as it is a very great hurt to 
fruit trees, when they are planted too deep : if they are not 
kept up above the level of the old ground at first, they seldom 
thrive well.f When the trees are planted, water the roots 
well to settle the mould, letting it remain for some days till 
the water is absorbed ; then tread the mould, and fill the holes 
up to the top ; observing the same rules as before given in case 
of dry weather, letting fresh-planted trees remain unpruned 
till the Spring. 

When you see the buds begin to shoot, if the trees be 
maiden trees of one year's growth, you may head them to five 

* Though the author is here speaking of wall trees alone, his direc- 
tiotis will furnish the American planter with every information respecting the 
soil, situation, &c. which he ought to choose for his standards. Owing to 
the want of such information it is, that we see the Peach-trees in Pennsyl- 
vania, &c. perish at so early an age. 

t I have observed this error of planting too deep to be very prevalent 
»n America. It should be carefully avoided. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 21 



or more eyes*, according to their strength ; then rub on a 
little of the composition where you cut off the top, observing 
to cut it sloping, as before directed, and as near the top buds 
as may be, and also to rub off the fore-right shoots. If the 
leading shoot be very strong, pinch off the top of it about 
the beginning of June, which will make it throw out some 
fine strong shoots. None of the shoots should be suffered to 
grow too long during the first and second years ; which may 
always be prevented by pinching the ends of them ; but they 
should never be topped, when the tree sends out fine kind 
shoots; till the spring following, when you may prune them, 
according to the strength of the tree, and the quantity of 
wood it has made during the preceding summer, leaving your 
shoots from six to twelve inches long : It is too common a 
practice to lay in the shoots at full length, taking off only 
the points of the branches, which generally after a few years, 
'leaves the tree quite naked : Whereas if attention were paid 
to the training, especially for the first four years, you could 
always fill the tree with fine bearing wood from top to bottom, 
and they could produce a great deal more fruit, and of much 
finer quality, than when they are run up in the former way ; 
for those trees, in general, are so weak that they have not 
strength to bear good fruit. The third year, if care be taken 
to manage the trees properly in summer, you may bring them 
into a bearing state. If the ground be strong, they will grow 
very vigorously ; in that case you must pinch all the strong 
shoots about the month of Junef, which will make them 
throw out side-shoots ; these, if not laid-in too thick, will 
make fine bearing wood for the succeeding year. If you 
suffer the strong shoots to grow to their full length, they will 
be large and spongy, and will neither produce fruit nor good 
wood for the following year-l-j-. Sometimes weakly trees are 
covered over with blossom ; but if too much fruit be suffer* 
ed to remain on them, they will be weakened so much that 
they will never recover. In that case, I would recommend 
picking off the greater part of the fruit, to let the tree re- 

* This is for a wall-tree. Standards must, of course, not be headed 
down so low. 

t Latter end of June, for America. 

tt This is one great cause of the badness of the peaches in America. 
Ko attention is there ever paid to the direction here given. 

E 



22 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



cover its strength^. When you prune trees in the above 
state, observe never to prune at a single flower-bud ; if you 
do, you will be sure to kill the shoot ; or, at least, it will die 
as far as the next wood-bud. [See Plate 3. Fig* 2.] 

On observing, you will find some shoots, and sometimes 
whole trees, with nothing but single flower-buds. These sorts 
of shoots should be laid-in at full length. Always observe 
the next branch that has got some wood-buds, and cut them 
close, that they may produce fine wood to supply the place of 
those that have only flower-buds, which may be cut out next 
yearf. 

When peaches come into a bearing state, you will, in 
general, see two flower-buds close together ; if you look be- 
tween these flower-buds, you will see what is called a wood- 
bud ; you should always cut at such double buds ; as from be- 
tween them come out the shoots that produce the fruit for 
next year. 

If you observe the above rules, you cannot mistake in 
pruning your peaches. [See Plate 3. Fig. 2.] 

When the trees come into a bearing state, you may keep 
them in a flourishing one by proper management, and atten- 
tion to the summer pruning. I have often topped the strong 
shoots twice in the course of the summer, before I could get 
them to produce fine kind bearing wood. I have often had 
shoots that grew, in the course of one summer, upwards of 
six feet in length, and as thick as my thumb. When such 
shoots as these are suffered to grow to their full length, the 
lower part of the wall (or of the standard tree) will be left nak- 
ed [See the Plate, Fig, 1.] ; besides, these strong shoots ex- 
haust the tree of its strength, and never produce good wood 
when you neglect to top them in summer. I would recom- 
mend to cut out such shoots when the trees are pruned in the 
spring, and to leave only the fine kind bearing wood, which 
you may know by two small leaves where the flower-buds will 
be in the following year ; the strong shoots have only one leaf 
bud at each eye. You should always rub off" all the useless 
little shoots, leaving only the best, and these not too near to- 
gether. Be very particular to pick off" all the side-shoots that 
come out near the tops of the branches ; which, if left, would 
weaken the fruit-bearing branches for next year. This should 
be done as soon as you can lay hold of these shoots with your 

* This precaution, also, is almost entirely neglected in America, 
t All these directions are of the greatest importance. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 23 



finger and thumb : if you suffer them to grow strong, they 
will hurt the fruit-bearing shoot. 

Of Pruning and Training old Peach'Trees, 

When the trees run up too high and thin, \See Plate 3, 
Fig* 3.] the best way is to cut them as far back as you can 
find any young shoots or buds*. You must always leave some 
young shoots or buds on peach-trees, otherwise you endan- 
ger the life of them. Never head them as you would Apri- 
cot, Apple, or Pear-trees. If you cut or head down Peach- 
trees without attending to the caution given above, you 
run a great risk of killing them j but if there are a few 
young shoots, the top may With safety be cut off, just a- 
bove them, as they will lead the sap up and produce strong 
branches, which should be topped as you would do a young 
tree. 

It is more difficult to procure new wood from old Peach- 
trees than from any other, except Nectarines. I have often 
made incisions in the old branches, about the joint, cutting 
out a piece from one to three inches according to the size of 
the branches. [See Plate 11, Fig. 2^] This should be done 
in several places of the tree, to furnish it with young wood ; 
always rounding the edges where the incision is made which 
should be above the joint, and as near to it as may be. 
The operation should be performed in the month of April, 
(May, for America) but never cut off the old branches, un- 
less you perceive some young shoots making their appear- 
ance. When they are about three or four inches long, cut 
olf the old branch, which will cause the fresh young wood 
to make a rapid progress the first summer, and you will have 
fine fruit on them the following year. 

Always use the composition where you cut off old bran- 
ches ; observing to round the edges, and cut out the canker 
which you find in the old bark where the branch was ampu- 
tated. 

In peaches, the canker is of a brown colour ; and in the 
bark, it appears in small specks or dots, as if made with a pen. 
All these should be cut out clean ; for if any part of the can- 
ker remain, it will affect the new wood as it begins to grow* 

* This plate represents a tree against a wall, but the observations apply- 
equally to a standard-tree. Whenever a standard shoots up high, without 
having a number of side-shoots, to form a proportionate head, it should be 
cut down in the manner above described. This remark applies to trees that 
have already been suffered to run up too high and thin. Trees hereafter , 
planted will not, of course, be permitted so tQ do. 



24 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Wherever you see the gum oozing, you may be certain that 
the canker is not quite eradicated. — [See the Chapter on the 
Canker.] 

It will frequently be necessary to look over your trees> 
and rub off what superfluous shoots remained after going over 
them the first time. Indeed, if you were to examine the trees 
once every fortnight, it would be so much the better, as by so 
doing they can be kept in perfect order. I have so accustomed 
myself to look over my trees, that I do it as I walk about my 
ordinary business, which saves a great deal of time. 

When the peaches are about the size of a small marble, 
begin to thin them ; which operation must be left to the judg- 
ment of the person who does it ; but it should be according to 
the strength of the tree. This ought to be done very regu- 
larly, that the fruit may be equally dispersed over the tree. If 
left too thick, it will not have room to swell : this frequently 
happens. If the tree be very strong, you may leave from three 
to six peaches on each shoot ; according to the strength and 
length of the branch. 

I have observed, that where the composition was applied 
to prevent the sap from being exhaled by the sun and air, all 
the trees that were very much loaded with fruit were not in the 
least hurt,* while the trees that were treated in the common 
way were greatly injured, and often killed, when they have had 
a great crop. 

In very dry seasons, it will be necessary to make a large 
bason round each tree ; or, rather, make up an edge along 
the whole border with mould, as you would for a bed to bed 
out plants in a nursery ; then give the trees a good watering, 
and mulch the border (which should be from two feet and a 
half to three feet broad) with some very rotten dung or leaves, 
which will keep the roots of the trees moist, and prevent the 
ground from cracking. Water the trees once a week during 
<lry weather, and sprinkle the branches and leaves every other 
day in the afternoon, with the engine, pressing your fore-fin-- 
ger over the mouth of the pipe, in order to spread the water 
very fine. By these means you will keep the trees clean and 
free from insects ; always remembering not to sprinkle them 
when the sun is on them, nor too late in the evening, as the 
former scorches the leaves, and the latter is apt to bring the 
mildew on the tender sort of peaches. If you find any of the 
trees infected, leave off sprinkling them, or water them with 
clear lime-water, as hereafter directed ; but this should always 
be done in warm weather. By frequently sprinkling the trees 
with lime-water, and throwing it plentifully on the underside 



MANAGEMENT OF tRUIT TREES, &c. 25 



of the leaves, where the Acams, or Red Spider, is mostly 
found, you will in a short time extirpate that destructive in- 
sect*. 

It is a bad practice to pick off the leaves of peaches. The 
shade of the leaves nourishes the fruit very much ; and if you 
observe, wherever the leaves are picked off the fruit will be 
small, stunted, and ill-flavoured. Remember to hang up the 
bean-stalk (as hereafter described) before the fruit begins to 
ripen, in order to get rid of the earwigs, &c. otherwise they 
will greatly injure the peaches. — [See the Chapter on Insects,'\\ 

I would recommend planting some trees of the early 
peaches in an East or a North aspect, for, by so doing, you 
will have a regular succession of fine peaches till the late sorts, 
to the South and West come in ; but never plant late sorts to 
the North or East. 

The following are the Sorts that I would recommend to he planted 
in North and East Aspects, 

Early Avant, Early Ann, Early Mignonne, Roal George, 
Red Magdalen, Royal Kensington, Noblesse, Gross Mignon- 
ne, and Millet's Mignonne. 

* The directions here given cannot possibly be observed in the manage- 
ment of large peach-orchards in America; but it will be no great difficulty or 
expence to observe them in gardens, where gentlemen set great value on their 
trees, particularly in Philadelphia, and other cities and towns. 

t The American planter will not fail to profit from the directions given 
for the destruction of these noxious little vermin, which spoil both the ap- 
pearance and the taste of no small part of every crop of his peaches. 



( 26 ) 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF NECTARINES. 

A Description of Nectarines cultivated in England, and the Me- 
thod of Planting, Pruning, and Training them. 

The Nectarine (properly so called from Nectar, the po- 
etical drink of the Gods was introduced here about the year 
1562, and belongs to the twelfth class of Linnsus. 

This fruit differs from the peach in nothing more than in 
having a smooth rind, and the flesh being firmerf. 

The Varieties zuhich are cultivated in this Country are, 

1. Fairchild's Early Nectarine. This is one of the earli- 
est ; it is a small round fruit, of a beautiful red colour, and 
well flavoured j and is ripe about the middle of August. 

2. -^Newington Nectarine. This is a fine fruit, of a beau- 
tiful red colour next the sun, and yellow on the other side. It 
has an excellent rich juice, and ripens about the middle of 
September. 

3. The Elruge Nectarine is said to have been first culti- 
vated by Gurle, a Nurseryman at Hoxton, in the time of Charles 
the Second. It is of a middle size, of a dark red or purple 
next the sun, and of a pale green on the other side. It has a 
soft melting pulp and vinous juice, and is ripe in the latter end 
of August, or beginning of September. 

4. The Scarlet Nectarine is of a fine scarlet colour next 
the sun, but of a pale red next the wall. It ripens in the latter 
end of August, or beginning of September. 

5. ^Brugnun, or Italian Nectarine, is of deep red next 
the sun, and of a pale yellov/ on the other side ; it has a rich 
flavour in a good year, and ripens in the latter end of August, 
or beginning of September. 

6. *The Roman Red Nectarine is a large fruit, of a dark 
red colour next the sun, but of a j^ellow colour on the other 
side ; and when full ripe it shrivels ; the pulp is then replete 
with a rich juice. It is ripe in September.. ..This nectarine has 

t Those marked with asterisk (*) adhere to the stone. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES,, &c. 27 



a smooth leaf, and the Newington a jagged one, which is one 
of the most essential differences by which these two excellent 
fruits are distinguishable from each other. 

7. Murry Nectarine is of a reddish colour toward the 
sun, and of a pale green toward the wall. This fruit has a 
tolerably good flavour, and ripens about the middle of Sep- 
tember. 

8. Temple's Nectarine is of a middle size, of a pale red 
colour toward the sun, and of a yellowish cast next the wall. 
This fruit, when quite ripe, shrivels : the pulp is then full of 
rich juice of a fine flavour. It ripens about the middle of Sep- 
tember, or beginning of October. 

9. ^Golden Nectarine. This is a handsome fruit of a 
soft red colour toward the sun, and yellow on the other side. 
It has a rich flavour, and is ripe about the beginning of Oc- 
tober. 

10. The Peterborough, or Late Green Nectarine (called 
also the Vermash), is of a middle size, round shape, and al- 
ways of a green colour ; the flesh is firm, and in a good season, 
tolerably well flavoured. It ripens about the middle of Oc- 
tober. 

11. The Violet Nectarine is of a middle size, and a purple 
colour next the sun, but pale on the other side j it has a vinous 
flavour, and ripens in the latter end of August, or beginning of 
September. 

To the foregoing may be added: 

Anderson's Nectarine, Newfoundland, 

Aromatic, New White, 

■^^Black Newington, Princess Royal, 

Clermont, *Rogers's Seedling, 

De la Taille, Royal Chair d'Or, 

*Early Pavie, ^St. Omer's, 

^Genoa, Tawny, ripe in September, 

Luncomb's Black, White, ripe in August and 
^Musk Violet, September. 

A Selection of Nectarines for a small Garden, 

Fairchild's Early Nectarine, Elruge, Scarlet, Newington, 
Red Roman, and Murry. 

Of the Management of Nectarines. 

It is unnecessary to say much on this head, as the man- 
agement of nectarines is almost the same as that of peaches. 



28 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



The same rules must be observed with regard to pruning 
and cutting out diseased parts ; and the same attention will be 
necessary during the summer; observing, in particular, not 
to leave the wood too thick. 

On account of the smoothness of the skin of the nectar- 
ine, it suffers much more from millepedes (or wood-lice), ear- 
wigs, &c. than the peach ; it will, therefore, be necessary to 
hang up a greater number of bundles of bean-stalks about these 
than about other fruit-trees. Wasps are also very destructive 
to nectarines, and the trees are very liable to be infested with 
the red spider ; these are to be destroyed as hereafter directed. 
[See the Chapter on Insects'], 

Do not omit to thin the fruit when grown to a tolerable 
size ; but never pick oif the leaves till the fruit be full-grown ; 
observing the rules already laid down for peaches. It will an- 
swer equally well with nectarines as with peaches, to plant some 
trees in an East aspect, which will continue the succession much 
longer than if all were planted in the usual aspects. 

In the summer of 1800, which was dry and hot, we had a 
West aspect which was so much infested with the red spider 
that I expected the trees would have been totally destroyed. 
In February following, I had the wall well washed with soap 
and urine mixed, as also the stems and branches of the trees. 
(This must be done before the buds begin to open, and in the 
forepart of the day, that the trees may get dry before the even- 
ing; but never in frostj^ weather). Afterwards, wherever I 
saw any appearance of the spider, I watered the trees with 
clear lime water, as directed in chapters 3 and 28. These 
trees are now in a perfectly healthy state ; but in some gardens 
where these precautions have been neglected, many of the trees 
are entirely killed. 



< 29 ) 



CHAPTER V. 



OF CHERRIES. 

Different Sorts; and the Propagation^ Plantings Pruning^ and 
Training of them>^*»How to preserve them from Insects » 

Cherries are said to have come originally from Cerasus, 
a city of Pontus, from which LucuUus brought them after the 
Mithridatic war, into Italy. They so generally pleased there, 
and were so easily propagated in all climates into which the 
Romans extended their arms, that, within the space of a hun- 
dred years, they grew common as far as the Rhine, and were 
introduced into Britain about Ann. Dom. 55*. 

Cherries belong to the twelfth class of Linnseus's System 5 
Icosandria Monogynia, 

A short Description of the principal Cherries cultivated 
in England. 

1. The Small May Cherry is the first ripe, and requires a 
good wall. One or two trees of this kind may be sufficient 
for a large garden. It is ripe in June. 

2. The May Duke comes in about the same time as the 
former, but is larger. It is an excellent cherry, and bears 
well against a wall. 

3. The Archduke, if permitted to ripen properly, is an 
excellent Cherry. It is ripe in June and July. 

4. The Hertfordshire Cherry is a sort of Heart, but fir- 
mer and of a finer flavour than Hearts in general. It does 

*It is supposed by many, that Cherries were first introduced into this 
country in the reign of Henry the Eighth ; but Lydgate, who wrote his poem 
called " Lickpenny", before the middle of the fifteenth century, or probably 
before the year 1415, mentions them in the following lines, as being commonly- 
sold at that time by the hawkers in London streets : 

" Hot pescode own began to cry, 

*' Straberys rype, and Cherryes in the ryse." 

Ryce, rice, or ris, properly means a long branch ; and the word is still used 
in that sense in the West of England^ 



30 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



not ripen till the latter end of July, or beginning of August^ 
which renders it the more valuable, as it succeeds more early 
cherries. 

5. The Bleeding Heart, or Gascoign's, is a very large 
cherry of a long form, and dark colour ; it has a pleasant taste^ 
and ripens in the latter end of July. 

6. Harrison's Heart is a fine Cherry. It was introduced 
from the East Indies by Governor Harrison^, grandfather to 
the present Earl of Leicester, and first cultivated at his seat 
of Balls in Hertfordshire : Some of the trees, I am informed, 
he presented to George the First ; and they are at this time in 
a flourishing state, bearing fine fruit, in Kensington Gardens. 
This Cherry is ripe in July and August. 

7. The Black Heart is a fine Cherry^ too well known to 
require description. 

8. The Morello, or Milan Cherry, is a very fine fruit 
when kept till the month of October, and makes a very great 
addition to the dessert at that time of the year. This is the 
best Cherry that we have for preserving, and for making Cher- 
ry-Brandy. 

9. The Carnation take its name from its colour, being red 
and white. It is a large round Cherry, but not so sweet as the 
Duke Cherry. It ripens in the latter end of July. 

10. I'he yellow Spanish Cherr}^ is of an oval shape and 
amber colour, and is a sweet pleasant fruit. It is ripe in Au- 
gust and September. 

11. The Corone, or Coroun Cherry, resembles the Black 
Heart. This is an excellent fruit, and a good bearer. It 
ripens about the beginning of August. 

12. The Luke ward comes in soon after the former, and is 
also a fine pleasant fruit, and a good bearer. It ripens in the 
beginning of August. 

13. The Graffion. This is supposed by many to be the 
same with Harrison's Heart ; but upon a close examination, I 
find it to be a different cherry : Its flesh is firmer and the 
stone flatter. It ripens in July and August. 

14. Ronald's Large Black Heart Cherry, introduced into 
this country in the year 1794 from Circassia. Mr. Ronalds, 
nurseryman at Brentford, and the only person, to the best of 
my knowledge, who has cultivated it in England, sent me 
some of the fruit this summer, 1801. It is a fine large cher- 

* Governor Harrison went out Governor of Fort St. George in Decem- 
ber 1710, and returned home in 1719; and it is probaMe that he brought 
this cherry home with him; if so, some of these trees in Kensington Gardens 
must be upwards of eighty years old. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. si 



ry, a great bearer, and will, without doubt, be valuable as a 
forcing sort. This cherry, in my opinion, is well worth culti- 
vating. It ripens in the beginning of July. 

15. Fraser's Black Tartarian Cherry* is a fine large 

fruit. 

16. Fraser's White Tartarian Cherry is white and tran- 
sparent. These cherries are excellent bearers, but particu- 
larly the black kind : The fruit is of a fine brisk flavour, and 
they ripen early. 

17. The Lundie Gean, cultivated at Lord Viscount Dun- 
can's, near Dundee, is black, and almost as large as a Black- 
Heart Cherry, It is now common in the nurseries about 
Edinburgh ; and Messrs. Gray and Wear have had it for some 
years in their nursery at Brompton-park. 

18. The Transparent Gean is a small delicious fruit. 

From the Black Cherry, w^hich is supposed to be a na- 
tive of England, are raised, by seeds, the black Coroun, and 
the Small Wild Cherry, of which there are two or three varie- 
ties, differing in the size and colour of their fruit. I would 
recommend planting these in parks and pleasure-grounds, as 
the trees grow to a great size, and have a beautiful appear- 
ance. The fruit will be food for birds, and so the means of 
preserving the finer fruit, in the garden and orchard, from 
their depredations. The wood also of these trees is very use- 
ful for turners and picture-frame makers. Stocks to graft 
upon are generally raised from the seed of this sort. These 
trees will thrive in poor land, where scarcely any other sorts 
will. 

The Cluster Cherry is planted more for ornament, or cu- 
riosity, than for any other purpose. 

To the above may he added: 

Amber Heart, Ox Heart, 

Black Mazard, Purple Heart, 

Church-hills, Red Heart, 

Double-blossomed, Spanish Black, 



* The Tartarian Cherries were brought from Russia in the autumn of 
the year 1796, by Mr. John Fraser, of Sloane-square, Chelsea ; well known 
for his indefatigable industry in collecting many curious plants, and other 
natural curiosities, in America and the West-Indies. He says, that these 
cherries are natives of the Crimea, and. that he purchased them of a Ger- 
man, who cultivated them in a garden near St. Petersburg. This man had 
fcut few plants of them at that time, and sold them as a favour at ten roubles 
a plant. Mr. Fraser afterwards saw them in the Imperial gardens, where 
they ^yere successfully forced in pots. 



32 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Flemish Heart, South's large Black, 

Gross Goblet, Swedish Black Hearty 

Holman's Duke, Tradescant's, 

Jeffrey's Royal, Turkey Heart, 

Kensington Duke, Weeping, 

Large Spanish Cherry, Wentworth Heart, 

Late Large Morello," White Heart. 
Montmorency, 

Proper Kinds of Cherries for a small Garden, 

The May Duke, the Large Duke Cherry, Archduke, the. 
Black Heart, Harrison's Heart, Ox Hearty Turkey Hearty 
and Kensington Duke Cherry. 

Planting,. Pruning, and Training of Cherry-Trees. 

In the choosing and planting of young cherry-trees, the 
same rules are to be observed as are given for Apricots-^ 
Peaches, and Nectarines ; and they must in like manner be 
headed down the first year. 

In pruning cherries, never shorten their shoots ; for 
most of them produce their fruit at the extremities, the short- 
ening, or cutting-off of which very frequently occasions the 
death of the shoot, at least of a great part of it. The 
branches, therefore, should be trained at full length.^ I have 
often seen the whole tree killed by injudicious pruning^ 
Wherever the knife is applied, it is sure to bring on the gum, 
and afterwards the canker, which will inevitably kill the tree 
if no remedy be applied to the wounds. 

I have headed down a great many cherry-trees which 
were almost past bearing, and so eaten up with the gum and 
canker, that what few cherries they bore upon old cankered 
spurs were not fit to be sent to the table* 

In the years 1790 and 1791 I cut, or headed down, fifty 
trees. The operation was performed in the months of April 
and May (in May for America) in each year. These trees 
made shoots from three to five feet the same summer, bore fine 
cherries the next yeai', and have continued to bear good crops 
ever since. 

To the above trees I applied the composition. At the 
same time I cut down twelve trees in the same row, but did not 
apply the composition : These twelve trees all died in the se- 
cond and third years after. We now gather more cherries, 
from one tree where the composition was applied, than we did 
from the whole number formerly; being also much finer and 
larger fruit. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, Sec. 



When Cherry-trees are very old, and much injured by 
large limbs having been cut or blown off (which will infallibly 
bring on the canker and gum, and, if no remedy be applied, irx 
a short time kill the trees) ; or if there are great spurs left 
standing a foot perhaps from the branch [See Plate 4. Fig. 2.]; 
the best way to bring them to have fine heads, and to fill the 
vacant space, is to head them down as low as possible, taking 
care to leave some small shoots, if there are any ; if not, leave 
a bud or two at the ends of some of the shoots. Sometimes 
you will have a great difficulty to find any buds. If that be the 
case, in the spring, before you mean to head the trees, make 
some incisions in the branches. [.S*^^ Plate 9.] This should be 
done on different branches, at the most convenient places for 
filling the tree with good wood. The size of the incisions* 
should be from one to two inches, according to the largeness- 
of the branches; observing to make them just above the joint 
where the buds should come out. If you cut just below a 
joint, the shoot will die as far as the next bud or joint ; and, of 
course, injure the tree, if no remedy be applied. 

The time for performing this operation is in March, Aprily 
or May. (In America, April will be the best month). The 
above method of making incisions is only recommended where 
there are no young shoots or buds, and when the tree is in the 
last stage of the canker. 

Where you have a few young shoots, or buds, cut dowri 
the head as near to them as you can, and take great care tc> 
cut out the canker till you come to the sound bark. The can- 
ker makes its appearance in cherry-trees in the same manner 
as it does in peach and nectarine trees, and may be easily dis- 
covered by an attentive observer. If any gum remains, it must 
be cut or scraped off i The best time for doing this is when it is 
moistened with rain ; you can then scrape it off easily without 
bruising the bark. This operation is very necessary ; and if it 
be neglected, the disease will increase rapidly. 

Wherever the bark or branches have been cut off, the 
edges should be rounded, and the composition applied. 

The general way of pruning cherry-trees has been to leave 
great spurs, which continue to increase till they become as thick 
as a man's arm : But be it observed, that cutting off, from 
year to year, the shoots that are produced from the spurs, in- 
creases the canker, till large protuberances, like wens, are 
formed on the branches, becoming very unsightly; and these 
occasion them to produce only small and ill-flavoured fruit, at 
a great distance from each other [See Plate 4. Fig. 2 J. When 
this is the case, the method I pursue is, to head the trees down 
as before directed. 



S4 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE ANij 

If the young shoots are properly trained, they will pro= 
duce fruit the following year ; and in the the second year they 
will produce more and finer fruit than a young tree that has 
been planted ten or twelve years. 

It has been a general complaint, that Heart Cherries are 
bad bearers when trained up as wall-trees ; but, by pruning 
them as Duke Cherries, I have brought them to bear in the 
same manner. 

Never make use of the knife in summer*, if it be possi- 
ble to avoid it, as the shoots die from the place where they are 
cut, leaving ugly dead stubs, which will infallibly bring on the 
canker. I'hese shoots may be cut in the spring to about a 
couple of eyes, as Duke Cherries, which will form a number 
of flower-buds, as appears in Plate 4, Fig. 1. Fig, 2, is ah 
old branch, to shew the manner in which the spurs are formed 
whem the old method of pruning is followed, and the barren 
unproductive state of the treef . 

When cherry-trees begin to produce spurs, cut out every 
other shoot to make the tree throw out fresh wood : When 
that comes into a bearing state, which will be in the following 
year, cut out the old branches that remain ; by that method 
you will be able to keep the trees in a constant state of bearing, 
taking the same method as before directed with the fore-right 
shoots. 

Great care should be taken to rub off man}' of them in the 
month of May, (middle of June, for America) leaving only 
such a number as you think will fill the tree. By so doing your 
trees will continue in a fine healthy state, and not be in the least 
weakened by bearing a plentiful crop of fruit. The reason is 
obvious, the great exhalation which would be occasioned by 
the sun and air in the' common mode of pruning is prevented, 
by the composition keeping in the sap which nourishes the 
branches and fruit. 

I cut some trees, as directed above, more than twelve 
years ago, that are now in as good a state of bearing as they 
v/ere in the third year after the operation, and likely to conti- 
nue so for many years. 

* As Morello Cherries bear their fruit on the second year's wood, from 
two to nve in a cluster, and not on spurs as other cherries do, the strongest 
and cleanest wood should be left at full length in the summer, and all super- 
fluous shoots be rubbed off. 

f At Ashted-Park, the seat of Richard Eagot Howard, Esq, near Epsom, 
there is a cherry-tree between fifty and sixty feet high ; and, at four feet from 
the g'round, nine feet six inches in circumference. This tree, with many others 
of the same kind, was planted several years after the chesnuts, mentioned in 
chapter 20. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 35 



In 1797', I pruned some very old trees in the month of 
May, which were left, to shew the old method of pruning ; I, 
at the same time cut some branches off the same trees accord- 
ing to the new method, to shew the difference of the fruit, 
which was taken by all who saw it for a different sort of cherry. 
The cherries from the old spurs were not half the size of the 
others, and were at least three weeks later. 

I am sorry to say, that many who have seen the improved 
state of the fruit-trees in Kensington Gardens still have their 
own managed according to the old method of pruning. Seve- 
ral, however, have adopted the new method vrith great success. 
One gentleman in this neighbourhood, by renovating thirty- 
nine Old Morellos planted on a North wall 176 yards long, 
and ten feet high, was in a few years able to sell j^early, on an 
average, from thirty to forty pounds worth of fruit produced 
from them, besides supplying his own family. In some years 
the Market-Gardener who sold them allowed him three shil« 
lings per pound weight. 

A row of Dwarf Cherry-trees that stood against an old 
paling in Kensington Gardens, with an old thorn hedge at the 
back of it, (which every year so infected them with a blight 
accompanied with an immense number of caterpillars and other 
insects, that even in a fine year we could not gather eight 
baskets from the whole row) became so fruitful after the hedge 
and paling were removed, that we gathered forty-two pounds 
a-day for six successive weeks, beside what the birds, wasps, 
and flies destroyed. 

This estimate is within the bounds of truth ; and I men- 
tion the fact to stimulate Market-Gardeners and Farmers, who 
have large orchards and gardens, to exert themselves in try- 
ing every method, however unimportant it may at first appear, 
to improve and render them more fruitful. 

The Duke and Heart Cherries from these trees were as 
, fine as any that were produced from wall-trees ; and as they are 
i much more productive, I have been induced to take up many 
of the old renovated trees from the walls, and plant them out 
for dwarf standards, supplying their places with pears, plums, 
: pleaches, &c. 

li In all old gardens and orchards throughout the kingdom, 
|l and particularly in Kent, whence the London Markets are 
I chiefly supplied with apples and cherries, the greater part of 
the old trees will hardly bear fruit sufficient to pay the expence 
I of gathering it; but if the above method of pruning. Sec. were 
I practised, the owner would soon find his account in it, and 
I be amply repaid for his trouble : The fruit will be much finer^ 



S6 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



and would have five times the quantity that the trees produce 
in their present condition ; the trees would be more sightly^ 
and always keep in a flourishing and bearing state*. 

When old Standard Cherry-trees become decayed and 
hollow, I would recommend heading them down, as directed 
for wall-trees and dwarfs. Scoop out all the rotten, loose, and 
decayed parts of the trunk, till you come to the solid wood, 
leaving the surface smooth ; then use the composition as here- 
after directed. 

* I do conjure the American planter to pay attention to the facts and rea- 
sons here advanced. He may rest assured, that, if he follows the directions 
here laid down, he will open to himself a new source of pleasure and of pro-? 
■fit. The increased quantify of the fruit is not so material, in cherries, as the 
increase in the size and in the richness of the favour. In this respect the me* 
t^od of pruning, here laid down, is invaluable. 



( 37 ) 



CHAPTER VI. 



OF APPLES. 



Different Sorts of Apples described..., Of Heading Apple trees.,.. 
Of Espaliers and Dwarfs. ...Grafting Old Apple Trees ; and of 
the Advantage of using the Composition in that Operation. 



X-rflNN^US has joined the Pear, the Apple, and the Quince 
together, making them all of the same genus, and has reduced 
all the varieties of each to one species. They belongto the 
twelfth clas^, Icosandria Pentagynia. 

The Species are, 

1, The Wild Apple with a very sour fruit, commonly cal- 
led Crab. 

2* Wild Crab of Virginia, with a sweet-scented flower, 
3. The Dwarf Apple, which is rather a shrub than a tree ; 
commonly called Paradise Apple. 

I shall give a List of the best Apples that have been introduced 
from France. 

1. The Rambour is a large fruit, of a fine red next the 
sun, and striped with a yellowish green. It ripens about the 
middle of September. 

2. The Corpendu, or Hanging Body. This is a very large 
apple, and has a red cast on the side towards the sun, but is 
pale on the other. It takes its name from always hanging down- 
wards ; and ripens in September. 

3. The White, or French Rennet, is a lare fruit of a 
yellowish green colour, with some grey spots. It has a sugary 
juice, and is good either for eating or baking. 

4. The Rennette-Grise is a middle-sized fruit, of a grey 
colour next the sun ; It is a very good juicy apple, of a quick 
flavour, and ripens about the latter end of October, 

5. Pomme d'Api is much valued for its colour, being of 
a bright red. The tree is a good bearer, and the fruit is not 



38 TREATISE O^S" THE CULTURE AND 



subject to be shaken by high winds. This fruit should be suf- 
fered to hang on the tree till October or November, if the frost 
do not set in. It comes into eating in February and March, 
and keeps long ; but is more admired for its beauty than its 
flavour. 

6. X.e Calville d'Automne, the Autumn Calville. This 
is a large fruit, of an oblong figure, and of a fine red colour 
towards the sun. The juice is vinous, and much esteemed by 
the French. 

7. Fenouillat, ou Pomme d'Anls, the Fennel or Anise 
Apple, is a middle-sized fruit, of a grey colour ; the pulp is 
tender, and has a spicy taste like anise-seed. It ripens in Sep- 
tember, October, &c. 

8. Pomme Violette, the Violet Apple, is a pretty large 
fruit, of a pale green, striped with a deep red towards the sun. 
It has a sugary juice, and a flavour of violets, from which it 
takes its name. It ripens in October, and continues in eating 
till February. 

The sorts above mentioned are what have been introduced 
from France ; but there are not above two or three of them that 
are much esteemed in England, viz. the French Rennet, the 
Rennette-Grise, and the Violet Apple ; the others are men- 
tioned for the convenience of those who wish to have a great 
variety. 

I shall now give a List of those Sorts of Apples which are most 
esteemed in England, 

9. The Juneting, or Jenneting, is a small yellowish apple, 
red on one side. It is a pretty fruit for early variety, and 
ripens about the latter end of June and beginning of July. 

10. The Codlin is generally the first apple that is brought 
to market. This fruit is so well known, that it needs no de- 
scription. It is in eating from July to December, and is good 
either for baking or boiling. 

11. The Margaret Apple is a fine and beautiful fruit, yel- 
low striped with red, of a delicate taste, sweet scent, and is 
generally eaten off the tree. It is ripe in August. 

12. The Summer Pearmain is striped with red next the 
sun ; the flesh is soft, but soon turns mealy ; so that it is not 
much esteemed. It ripens in August and September. 

13. The Kentish Fill-Basket is a species of Codlin, of a 
large size, and is generally used for baking. It is in eating 
from August to October. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. S9 

14. The Transparent Apple was introduced from St. Pe- 
tersburg ; but is more curious than useful ; a tree or two, there- 
fore, will be sufficient for a garden. It ripens in September 
and October. 

15. Loan's Pearmain is a beautiful fruit; the side next 
the sun is of a fine red, and the other side striped with the same 
colour: the flesh has a vinous taste, but soon grows mealy, 
which lessens its value. It ripens in September and October. 

16. The Quince Apple is seldom larger than the Golden 
Pippin, and the side next the sun is of a russet colour. This 
is an excellent apple for about three weeks or a month, and 
ripens in September. 

17. The Nonsuch is a good bearer, and very fit either 
for the table or kitchen; the cooks however complain that it 
makes but a very small proportion of sauce. It is ripe in Sep- 
tember and Oc ober. 

18. The Golden Rennet is too well known to need any 
description ; it ripens about Michaelmas, and will continue 
good a month. 

19. The Aromatic Pippin is a very good apple, of a bright 
russet next the sun ; and the flesh has a fine aromatic flavour. 
It ripens in October. 

20. The Herefordshire Pearmain, or Winter Pearmain, 
is of a fine red next the sun, and striped with red on the other 
side ; the flesh is juicy and stews well. It is fit for use in No- 
vember and December. 

21. The Kentish Pippin is a handsome fruit, of a pale 
green colour, and the flesh full of a quick acid juice. This is 
a good kitchen fruit ; it ripens in November and v/ill keep till 
February. 

22. The Holland Pippin. This fruit is larger than the 
former, the colour darker, and the flesh juicy. It ripens in 
October, and will keep long, and is a good kitchen apple. 

23. The Monstrous Rennet is a very large apple, turning 
red towards the sun, and of a dark green on the other side. 
It is generally preserved on account of its magnitude, as the 
flesh is apt to be mealy. It ripens in October. 

24. The Embroidered Apple is pretty large and the stripes 
of red very broad, from which circumstance it takes its name. 
It is commonly used as a kitchen apple, and is ripe in Octo- 
ber. 

25. The Royal Russet, or Leather Coat Russet is a large 
fruit, and one of the best kitchen apples that we have. It is 
also a pleasant eating apple, and a great bearer ; and is in use 
from October to April, 



40 TREATISE OX THE CULTURE AND 



26. Wheeler's Russet is of a middling size, the flesh firm 
and of a quick acid Savour ; it is an excellent kitchen fruit, and 
will keep long. It ripens in October. 

27. Filer's Russet is a very firm fruit, of a sharp acid na- 
vour, but is much esteemed for baking. It ripens in Cc:ober. 
and will keep till April. 

28. The Nonpareil is a fruit deservedly valued for the 
briskness of its taste. It is seldom ripe before Christmas, and 
if well preserved, wiU keep till May. This is justly esteemed 
one of the best apples that have been yet known. 

29. The Gclden Pippin is well known; and the French 
own it to be of English origin. It is almost peculiar to Eng- 
land: for there are few countries abroad where it succeeds 
well. It is 3"ellow as gold ; the juic^ is verv sweet : the skin 
(especially where exposed to the 5v:'. :5 : ~ 

dark yellow spots. It is certainly uie mos: a.;;ic 5 :.5 
the most excellent apple that we have. It ripens in October, 
and will keep through the winter. There are several varieties 
of this fruit. 

30. The Pomroy, or King's Aprle. i '-rrr.= nearly as soon 
as the Juneting; and though not so be:.ui:i^lly coloured, is 
larger and much better tasted. 

31- The Red. and White Calville are good apples, of a 
\'inous taste. Some have a red. and some a white pulp ; and 
the white is reckoned of a most delicious taste. They are in 
eating in September and October. 

32. The Kirton, or Cracked Pippin, is a good apple for 
the table. It ripens in September and October. 

33. The Ribston Pippin* is a tne ap::! Ribs'-n 
Hall, near Knaresborough in Yorkshire. It :: . ..:.-c ;:re-^ked 
with red towards the sun, and 3-ellow on ti c : :her side. It is 
one of the best apples for earing and baking, and continues in 
use from the end of October till April. It bears veiy well as 
a dwarf, and no garden should be without 

34-. The ISIarglU is an excellent apple, ai^a continues in use 
-from November till the latter end of March. It is often sold 
in the London Markets for a Nonpareil, 

55. Kirk's Scarlet Admirable, a good apple Tor baking, 
and of a beautiful scarlet colour, is in eating about the month 
of Januarv. 

rS. The French Crab is good for baking ; and, when it is 
a favourable season, will make a pretty good show at the table. 

* The first tree of ir.ii sor: v. us i";und growing in Sir Harry Goodrick'5 
Park. , 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 41 



It keeps the longest of any apple that we know, being in eating 
from April to Christmas. 

37. The Pomme Gree^, a fine apple from Canada, is of 
a flattish form, and russet colour, streaked beautifully with red. 
It ripens late and keeps till March. 

38. Sykehouse Russet, a fine eating apple, from Syke- 
house, in Yorkshire. 

39. The Godolphin Apple is a very handsome large fine 
fruit, streaked with red on the side next the sun, and of a yel- 
lowish colour on the other side. It is in eating from the lattt-r 
end of September to December. I found this apple growing 
in the garden of the late Lord Godolphin, in St. James's Park ; 
and have given it the name of the Godolphin Apple, as I have 
not been able to find it in any catalogue. 

40. Pearson's Pippin is a nice apple, about the size of a 
large Golden Pippin, of a yellowish colour, and the form a 
little flat. In Devonshire, they put these pippins into the oven 
just after the bread is drawn, laying a weight over them to flat- 
ten them, in the same manner as they do the Beefin inNorfolk, 
and bring them to table as a sweetmeat. I brought some cut- 
tings of this tree from Nutwell near Exeter, which I grafted on 
some trees in Kensington Gardens. 

41. The New-Town Pippin is a fine apple in a good sea- 
son ; but seldom ripens with us. It is held in great esteem in 
America. 

42. Feam's Pippin is of the shape and size of a Nonpa- 
reil. It is of a beautiful scarlet colour next the sun, and of a 
golden yellow on the other side. It makes a fine show at table, 
and .vill keep till the latter end of February. 

43. Hay's Fine Large Baking Apple. 

44. Queen's Apple is a beautiful fruit, red towards the 
sun, and of a fine yellow on the other side. This is a very 
fine apple ; in my opinion, next in perfection to the Golden 
Pippin, and about the same size. It is in eating from Novem- 
ber to the end of March. 

The above are the best apples that have come to my know- 
ledge ; but, for the convenience of those who are fond of great 
variety, I shall add a few, with their characters, from the 
catalogue of Messrs. Anderson, Leslie and Co. Nursery- 
men at Edinburgh ; and also a list collected from the cata- 

• The Pomme Gree was introduced into this country by Mr. Alexander 
Barclay, of Brompton, well known for his ingenuity in bleaching of wax. 
He is a great lover of horticulture, and has raised several new sorts of goose- 
facrvies from seed. 



42 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



logues of the most eminent Nurserymen in the neighbourhood 
of London, and other parts of England. 

Van Pippin, first ripe, little flavour, of Dutch origin. 

Orzelon Pippin, a small early yellow apple. 

Gogar, or Stone Pippin, good, and will keep till May. 

Whitemore Pippin. 

Paradise Pippin, a beautiful long apple, but soon grows 
mealy. 

Thorle Pippin, a pretty flat early apple of great beauty. 
Orange Pippin. 
Dalmahoy Pippin. 
Hamilton Pippin, good. 
Bridgewater Pippin, for kitchen use. 
Carberry Pippin, very good. 
^ Lisbon Pippin. 

Commissary Pippin. 

Grafton Pippin, an Irish dessert apple, and much recom- 
mended. 

Lufness Pippin. 

Balgown Pippin, is a true Golden Pippin j but by soil 
and culture rendered larger. 

Scarlet Rennet, beautiful, but does not keep long. 

Striped Nonpareil, a new fruit, the wood of which is 
striped. 

Dutch Pearmain. 

Royal Pearmain, a beautiful large apple. 
German Pearmain. 
White Pearmain. 

Summer Leadington. The Leadingtons are all of Scotch 
production, and excellent baking apples ; but are soon apt 
to spoil, except the Grey. 

Large Stoup Leadington. 

Scarlet Leadington. 

White Leadington. 

Grey Leadington. This is among the best of our Scotch 
Apples, and keeps well, but of little beauty. 
Royal Codlin, a large line fruit. 

Carlisle Codlin, much esteemed in the North of England 
for baking. 

Summer Queening. 
Winter Queening. 

Summer Teuchet Egg, a small early Clydesdale Apple, 
of a reddish yellow colour. 
Winter Teuchet Egg. 
Sweener'3 July-Flower, good. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 43 

Ephrow, or Lady Apple, a very good keeping apple. 
Rose Apple, or Greater Api, a French Apple, of sweet 
taste and great beauty. 

Wine Apple, one of the best Scotch Autumn Apples. 
Golden Monday, or Pear Russet, good and beautiful. 
Yorkshire Green, for baking. 
Strawberry, very good. 
Summer Marygold. 

Fulwood, keeps long, fit only for baking. 
Lady Wemyss. 

Purse mouth, well flavoured, but dry ; a fine oi*chard 
apple. 

Naked Apple, very good and keeps long; a Clydesdale 
Apple. 

Red Ruby, an orchard apple. 

Jerusalem Apple, is red all over, and has a firm pulp, 
but little taste. 

Queen of England. 
Dutchess of Hamilton. 

Salmon Apple, bright red and yellow colour, brisk juice, 
and keeps many months. 

Whistleberry, very good. 

Harvey Apple, from Cambridgeshire. 

White Apple of Hawthornden, an orchard apple. 

Carse of Gowrie, do. 

Long Apple of Garron, do. 

Winter Eli, do. 

Summer Eli, do. 

Pigeon Apple, or Pigionette, a French dessert apple. 

Tower of Glammis, an orchard apple. 

White Apple of MoncriefF, do. 

Patridge Apple, a good sort for kitchen use. 

Those in the following List marked thus^, are most esteemed for 
eating raw ; those-\, for baking or boiling ; and those\^ for 
making of Cyder. The Words in Italick are names by which 
the preceding Fruit is frequently known, 

*Acklam's Russet, t^eaufin, 

Aged Pippin, Lincolnshire Beaufin^ 

Aromatic Broading, Torkshire Beaufiny 

Summer Broading^ Norfolk Beaufin^ 

Autumn Pearmain, Beauty of Kent, 

fBarcelona Pearmain, Belle Gridelin, 

"tBaxter's Pearmain, Best Pool, 



44 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Black Pippin, 
J Black Moor, 
Bontradue, 

Braddock's Seek no further, 

fCat's Head, 

^Cawood Timely, 

*Chardin's Sans-pareil, 

Chester Pearmain, 

JCockajee or Coccagee, 

-j-Costard, 

Cotton Pippin, 

Covadies, 

Darling Pippin, 

Derbyshire Crab, 

Devonshire Buckland, 

Double-blossom Scarlet Crab, 

Dowsen's, 

Dutch Paradise, 

^Early Nonpareil, 

^Everlasting Hanger, 

-j-Eyer's Greening, 

JFox Whelp's, 

Frank Rambour, 

Frazer's, 

French Pippin, 

French Paradise, 

JGennet Mojle, 

Golden Doucet, 

Golden Mundi, 

Golden Noble, 

Golden Lustre, 

^Golden Pearmain, 

Golden Russet, 

Grey Noble, 

Gray's Pippin, 

fGreen Blundrel, 

jGreen Pearmain, 

Hall Door, 

Havers's Monster, 

JHertfordshire Under-leaf, 

Hollow-crowned Pippin, 

'^Hubbard's Pearmain, 

Russet Pearinain^ 

Hughes's New Golden Pippin 

Uohn, 



Deux Ann, ' 
July- Flower, 
June Keeping, 
Kipling's Pippin, 
King of the Pippins, 
Kirke's Incomparable, 
^Kitchen Rennet, 
Lady's Finger, 
-j-Lancashire Housewife, 
Large Yellow Pippin, 
^Large Golden Pippin, 
Baker's Golden Pippin^ 
Large Apple Williamson ^ 
Lawman's, 
Lemon Pippin, 
^Lincolnshire Rennet, 
London Pippin, 
Five Croxvjied Pippin^ 
Lord Islay's Pippin, 
Mansfield Tart, 
fMinehall, 

Neal's Summer Kentish, 

New York Pippin, 

New England Pippin, 

Norfolk Paradise, 

Norfolk Storing, 

Nutmeg, 

Old Pearmain, 

Orgeline, or Orjeline, 

Oxford Oak Peg, 

Oaken Pin, 

*Oxhead Pearmain, 

Earl of Tarmouth^s Pearmain, 

Pie Pie, 

-Pine- Apple Russet, 
Pipy Russet, 
^Pomphilia, 
Queen's, 

Queen's Pearmain, 
Red-fleshed Beaufin, 
Red Streak, 
Red Vacan, 

Ronald's Queen Charlotte, 
jfRobine, 
I Royal Wilding, 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 45 



Scarlet Pearmain, Tankard Apple, 

Sheppard's Russet, I'en Shillings, 

Siberian Crab, Tom Two Years Old, 

Sir Charles Wagers, jTransparent Codlin, 

Skerm's Kernel, Virgin, 

Spencer's Pippin, ^White Pippin, 

Spice Apple, White Sour, 

Spit, Welch Lemon Pippin, 

Stout Buckland, Whykins's Pippin, 

fStriped Beaufin, Wine Sop, 

Stubbard, ^Winter Redstreak, 

JStvre, fWinter Colman, 

jSummer Redstreak, jWinter Broading, 

Summer Pippin, Winter Majetin, 

Summer Russet, JWoodcock's, 

tSummer Colman, Yellow Buckland. 
Summer Majetin, 

X. B. The Siberian Crab and the Double blossom Crab 
are good for preserving. 

Sorts of Apples proper for a small Garden. 

The Juneting, Golden Pippins, Nonesuch, Ribstone 
Pippin, Nonpareils, Queen's Apple, Sykehouse, Golden Ren- 
net, Aromatic Pippin, Grey Leadington, Scarlet Pearmain, 
Lemon Pippin, Pomme Gree, and French Crab, different sorts 
of Russetins and Codlins, for baking. 

I have taken all the pains that I could to ascertain the real 
names of the best apples ; but the varieties are almost infi- 
nite : It is, therefore hoped, that if the same apple should 
in some few instances be found under dilferent names, it 
being almost impossible, amid such a variety, to avoid a mis- 
take of that kind, the candid reader will have the goodness to 
view it with indulgence. 

On the Choosing, Planting, Frwiirig, and Training, of 
Apple- Trees, 

In choosing Apple-trees from the Nurserv, it mav be 
sufficient to observe, that they, as well as Apricot and Peach- 
trees, should have strong, straight, and clean stems. 



H 



46 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Suficient insti-uctions have alreadv been given f / > 
paring the borders* and planting the trees ; -which ' 
be appacable here. The same directions for head:::: v 
be observed, according to the season and time of ir.z l s 
breaking iorth, leaving the number accordmg to the streni:." 
of each tree ; cutting as close as possible to the tor bud. :r.„: 
the leading shoot may the more easily cover the v. : 
constantly observing to rub off all the buds that ccriit u : ^ 
the side of the leading shoot, which vrould otherwise rob i: "i 
its nourishment and strength, and so prevent it f : : " 
a fine leader. [See Flate 6, Fig, ].] Re mem t 
annually to the length of from nine to eighTr i". : : :- 

cording to its strengtli, till the tree is got to a: x^.c:,^.:: : 3 
which you would have it run, and according to the extent 
of the ground ; which height may be from eight to twelve 
feet. By these means the trees will throw out horizontal 
branches on everv side, and soon form handsome heads for 
Dwarfs. 

I would advice not to suffer the Dwarf- trees to run higher 
than twelve feet ; otherwise they will become naked at bot-^ 
fom, the fruit will be liable to be blown down, and tlie tops 
broken by high winds. 

In heading old decayed apple-trees, for the sake of 
symmetry, it will be necessaiy to cut at the forked branches 
as near as can be to the upper side of the fork, cutting them 
in a sloping manner to cai-rj- off the wet, at the same time 
rounding the edges. You may begin at the lower branches, 
cutting just above the lower fork ; and, proceeding upwards, 
cut the rest of the branches from one to six joints, or forks, 
according to their sti-ength, till you have finished cutting-in 
the whole head. If any of these branches should have the 
canker, all the infected part must be cut out. "WTicn the 
tree is all prepared, apply the composition immediately, be- 
ginning at the top of the tree, and finishing with the pow- 
^ der of wood-ashes and burnt bones, as you descend ; which 
win prevent it from being rubbed off during the operation ; 
and the composition will prevent the sun and air from injur- 
ing the naked inner bark. A tree thus prepared wi'il, in the 
course of three or four 5'ears, produce more and finer fruit 

• He is here speaking of the grotmdls for DwaTf-Apples, in gardens ; 
bnt, nearly the same rules wiiJ apply to others. He treats of orchards 
licreafter, though he may not, perhaps, repeat all the directioos, which are 

common to all apple-trees, in all forms and situations. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 47 



than a maiden tree that has been planted upwards of twenty 
years.^ 

It is hoped that the above directions, if properly attended 
to, M'ill be sufficient to enable any one to bring old decayed 
trees into a healthy bearing state. 

In large orchards and gardens, it may be necessarv, at 
first, to head down only every other tree ; cutting some of the 
branches of the rest, which are in a decayed and cankery state 
and will bear no fruit. This will be preparing them to throw 
out new wood and furnish, the tree much sooner with bearing 
branches. In such a season as the present (1800), when there 
is a blight and general failure of crop throughout the iangdom, 
the operation may be performed in summer, in the months of 
May, June, and July, (May for America) and even so late as 
August, which would save a season. I would, however, re- 
commend the performing the operation as early as possible ; 
for by so doing the wood will be the stong^r. 

When the trees are become hollov/, the like method should 
be followed as is directed for plums j but by no means cut them 
down unless the tops are quite decayed ; observing to cut the 
loose rotten wood clean out of the hollow and other decayed 
parts, applying the composition. At the same time remember 
to open the ground, and cut out all the rotten parts that may be 
found in the lower part of the stem, together with all the de- 
cayed roots, which, if this be not done, will infallibly in- 
jure the fresh wood and bark, and prevent a cure from being 
effected. 

I would recommend heading down all apple trees that are 
much cankered and have ill-shaped heads ; for by so doing 
much labour will be saved, and the trees will amply pay the 
proprietor. 

Never shorten the young branches, except they are very 
thin, when it will be necessary to do so to fill the trees with 
young wood ; nor prune any of the young shoots the second 
year (I mean the year after they are cut), as m.any of the eyes, 
almost to the end of the shoot, will, if it be strong, become 
fruit-buds next vear ; and so on every year. 

In the month of May in the first year after the trees have 
been so cut, it will be necessary to go over them, and rub off, 

* Upon readirig this paragraph, how many American orchards present 
themselves to my view ! How mianv orchards have I seen, without a single ap- 
ple, while, with the help of this operation would soon be loaded with fruit ! 
How soon are trees in that country regarded as worn out, and are, as such, 
cur down, which trees by the aid of this system would last for twenty or forty 
ears longer, and would be infinitely preferable to a young orchard, besides 
i.e advantage which would be derived frcra preventirg the loss of time. 



48 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



with your finger and thumb, all the superfluous young shoots ; 
leaving from three to six eyes on each shoot, according to the 
size and strength of the branch cut. These shoots will bear 
from three to four years ; by which time they will be pretty 
much exhausted by the great quantity of fruit produced from 
them ; they should then be cut down to two eyes to produce 
new wood. 

I always leave three different years' branches on the tree, 
when the first shoot is cut off at e, \See Plate 6. Fig, 2.] 
You will observe the next shoot to be lull of fruit-buds, if 
it has not been shortened ; when it begins to grow weak, cut 
it off at^. The next cutting must be at z, when the branch h 
is tired of bearing. Proceed thus all over the tree with care 
and attention, and you vrill soon perceive the advantages of this 
method of pruning above the the common mode ; for by it vou 
will be able to keep your trees in a constant state of bearing, 
which if left to nature, would only produce a crop of fruit 
once in two or three years^. Alwavs remember, when the 
shoot that has done bearing is cut off, to apply the composition 
immediately, and to rub off the shoots where they are too 
numerous. 

The best time to prune apple-trees Is in the month of 
April, or in ^lay, after the peaches, nectarines, and cherries 
are prune df. 

The small shoots that cross each other should be cut off, 
leaving the strongest to fill up the tree, and make a fine hand- 
some head. The suckers that spring from the root should be 
carefully grubbed up, and the side-shoots from the stem cut 
off ; for, if left to grov/, they will greatly weaken the tree. 
The knobs, where old branches have been cut off, should also 
be pared away, leaving the surface of the tree as smooth as 
possible; then aDply the composition; the young bark will soon 
begin to grow, and by degrees cover the old wounds with a 

* This is the canse of the frequent failure in crops, and not anv perverse- 
ness in the stars, as the old women imagine. Mr. Forsyth's trees never fail. 
His trees, of all sorts were full of fruit, while it seemed in other gardens, 
to be a matter of chance. 

t Soon after this pruning, about the middle of Mar (same time for Ame- 
rica) it will be proper to look over the trees, and to pick off any caterpillars 
that may be on them. 

You will then see what shoots are infected with the canker, and which 
might have escaped your notice at the time of pruning; and, wherever you 
observe the least appearance of infection, which may be known by the wood 
appearing of a brownish colour, the shoot must be cut down till you come \o 
the sound white v. cod. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 49 



fresh smooth surface, and thus prevent the canker from gain- 
ing ground on the tree. I have seen some old wounds of con- 
siderable size healed over in one year. 

The trees which I pruned and dressed, as above directed, 
in the course of the summer 1795, are all perfectly cured, the 
wounds being filled up with sound wood, and covered over 
with new bark : They all continue in a healthy state, and bear 
fine handsome fruit. 

1 have advised several Nurserymen about London, parti- 
cularly Messrs. Gray and Wear at Brompton Park Nursery, 
Kensington Gore, and the late Mr. Malcolm of Stockwell, to 
head down their apple-trees after the season of drawing for 
sale is over. 

Messrs. Gray aad Wear have headed a great many of 
such trees as were formerlv thrown to the faggot-pile, and have 
been amply recompensed for their trouble. Trees thus headed 
down, provided the stems be strong, will, in the first and second 
year, produce as much fruit as will refund the purchase-money; 
besides, a great deal of time will be saved, which would be 
lost by planting younger trees. 

If you can procure trees of the above description that 
have been headed dowm three or more years, they will be all 
covered with fruit-buds, and, if carefully taken up and planted 
in the autumn, if the season proves favourable, you will have 
a tolerable crop of fruit the first year. Such trees must not be 
headed-down like maiden-trees, but only thinned oif where the 
branches run across and rub against one another, which should 
never be suffered. 

From what has been said, I hope that gentlemen and 
others will not be blind to their own interest ; but that they will 
give the practice a fair trial, which, if properly executed, will 
not fail to turn out to their satisfaction. Independent of the 
great advantage to be derived from the increase of crops, in- 
stead of deca}-ed, moss-grown trees, bearing only a few small 
hard and kernelly fruit, they will have the pleasure of seeing 
fine healthy clean trees loaded with large beautiful and well- 
fiavoured fruit ; which, to those who have a taste for garden- 
ing and rural affairs, will be no small consideration. 

The borders where you make your crossings in gardens 
should be six or eight feet broad at least, to let the trees 
spread on each side, at the distance of twelve feet from tree 
to tree, and thev should be well trenched, two feet and a half 
deep at least. If there should be gravel, or sour clay, it must 
be taken out, and good mould put in its place ; leaving the 
ground as rough as possible, for the frost and rain to mellow 



50 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



it. When you level the ground, it should be done after rain ; 
you may then sow some small crops in the borders, such as 
Lettuce or Spinage, or Cabbage for transplanting ; but let not 
any of the Brassica tribe come to full growth. Leaving Cab- 
bage and Broccoli on borders, near fruit-trees, draws the 
ground very much, fills the borders with insects, and also pre- 
vents the sun and air from penetrating into the gi-ound. 

When the sun can have free access to the border, it adds 
much to the flavour of the fruit. If you can spare the ground 
on the cross-borders in winter, it wiU be of great service to the 
trees to ridge it up as loose as you can, and let it lie in that 
state all winter, to mellow and sweeten. 

If the soil be strong, I would recommend planting of ap- 
ple-trees that are grafted on Paradise Stocks ; but if the soil 
be light. Free Stocks will do much better. 

When the ground is a strong clay or brick earth, mix it 
with old lime-rubbish or coal-ashes, street-dung or sand ; but 
what I use for the borders against the walls, and which I pre- 
fer to every other manure, is a vegetable mould produced from 
leaves of trees, which may be obtained in the following manner : 

Collect annually as many loads of leaves as you con- 
veniently can, which make up into hot-beads for late melons 
and cucumbers, and for early potatoes, &c. First plant the 
beds with early potatoes ; at the same time sow radish and 
lettuce seeds mixed together. When the radishes are pulled, 
thin the lettuces, leaving a sufficient quantity for a crop ; by 
the time the lettuces are fit for cutting, the potatoes begin to 
cover the bed. After the lettuces are all cut, you should put 
some of the leaf-mould close up to the stems of the potatoes, 
which will run very fast into the fresh manure, and produce a 
fine early crop. When you have dug up the potatoes, take off 
all the fine vegetable mould till you come to the leaves that are 
not yet rotten ; then with a fork turn up the leaves, adding some 
fresh leaves at the same time, which will cause a fresh heat to 
come up in the bed ; when this is done, put on the lights and 
keep them close for three or four davs : If the weather be fine 
and clear, there will, by that time, be a fine sweet gentle 
heat*. 

You may then sow or plant melons or cucumbers in the 
beds. 

* What is here said about the use of leaves in the course of their rotting 
is not altogether applicable to America ; but it will be very useful for the 
A."»ier!can planter to know, that rotten leaves are so useful, as he can always 
get enough of them. Nor would hot-beads of leaves be altogether useless in 
Ameiica for spring lettuces, cucumbers, radishes, S;c. &c. 



\ 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, S^c. 51 



When the heat begins to decline, and the fruit to swell, 
put a fresh lining of leaves, two feet and a half broad, round 
the beds. The beds may be broken up the second winter ; by 
which time you will find the top part of them rotted to a fine 
black vegetable mould, which will be the best manure for trees. 

A good coat of this manure once in two or three years 
will be sufficient for the borders where the wall-trees stand, 
and inuch better than dung, which I by no means approve 
of for trees, unless it be perfectly rotten and mixed up with 
mould. 

Some of the leaves will be found not quite rotten at the 
bottom of the beds ; these may be mixed up with fresh dry 
leaves from the park, garden, &c. and used for making new 
beds. 

Of Grafting old Apple-Trees* 

It frequently happens, that, through some mistake or 
other, after waiting ten or twelve years for a tree to come into 
a bearing state, it is then found that the fruit is neither fit for 
the table nor kitchen ; in such case, we always graft them the 
following spring, observing to graft on the finest and healthiest 
shoots, and as near as possible to the old graft, and where the 
cross shoots break out ; by so doing, you will have some fruit 
the second year ; and in the third, if properly managed, you 
will have as much as on a maiden-tree of fifteen years stand- 
ing*. 

The canker, if any, must be carefully pared off the branch, 
and the scion must be taken from a sound healthy tree. 

Whenever an incision is made for budding or grafting, 
from that moment the canker begins. I would, therefore, re- 
commend to those employed in budding or grafting, as soon 
as the incision is made, and the bud or graft inserted, to rub 
in with the finger, or a brush, some of the composition before 
the bass is tied on ; then cover the bassf all over with the com- 
position as thick as it can be laid on with a brush, working it 
well in. If this operation be performed in a proper manner, 
and in a moist season, it will answer every purpose, without ap- 
plying any grafting clay. 

This I have frequently done, and found it succeed per- 
fectly to my wishes. Observe, not to slacken too soon the 

* This rule inust be of great use, and I find it to liave been practised with 
great success at Kensington. 

t Bats is the stuff of which are made the mats that are put round trunks, 
&c. in the shipping of goods. It is a nice soft ligament, and is much better 
than any other, as it never resists the swelling of ihe wood. 



52 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



matting for bass) which is wrapped round the bud ; for in that 
case you will find the incision opened, which very often occa- 
sions the death of the bud. 

If Nurserymen and Gardeners would give this method a 
fair trial, and use the same composition as I use for curing de- 
fects in trees, instead of loam and horse-dung (which binds so 
bard as to prevent the rain and moisture from penetrating to 
the graft to moisten the wood and bark), they would find that 
the grafts would succeed much better. The composition, for 
this p"arpose, should be rather softer than grafting-clay gene- 
rally is ; and instead of aplying so large a mass as is gene- 
rally done of clay, it need not, in most cases, be more than two 
or three inches in circumference. 



( 53 ) 



CHAPTER VII. 



OF PEARS. 

Different Sorts of Pears described. Of Planting^- Headings 

Pruning, Experiinents on old Trees A comparative 

Statement of the Produce of Pear-Trees, by the old and new 

way of Pruning and Training Of Trees headed down 

Remedy for the Canker y 8f c. 

The cultivation of the Pear is, undoubtedly, of considera- 
ble antiquity ; for Pliny mentions no less than twenty kinds, 
and Virgil five or six. * 

Linnaeus arranges pears in the fourth section of his twelfth 
class, along with apples and quinces. 

The pear-tree comprehends several varieties, ripening in 
successive order from July to October. 

The Pears commonly propagated in England are as follow : 

1. The Little Musk Pear, commonly called the Supreme. 
This fruit, when ripe, is of a yellow colour ; the juice is some- 
what musky ; and, if gathered before it be too ripe, it is a 
good pear. It ripens about the latter end of July, and conti- 
nues good only a few days. 

2. The Chio Pear, or Little Bastard Musk Pear. This is 
pretty much like the other, but smaller. The skin, when ripe, 
has a few streaks of red next the sun. 

S. The Green Chissel, or Hastings Pear, is a middle- 
sized fruit ; it always remains green, and is full of juice when 
ripe. It ripens in the beginning of August. 

4. The Red Muscadelle is a large early pear, of great 
beauty ; the skin is of a beautiful yellow striped with red, and 
the flesh has a rich flavour. This sometimes produces two 
crops in a year ; the first about the end of July, and the second 
in September. 

5. The Little Muscat is a small pear, the skin very thin, 
and of a yellowish colour when ripe. This fruit has a rich 

I 



54 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



musky flavour, but will not keep long. It is ripe about the 
beginning of August. 

6. The Lady's Thigh, commonly called in England Jar- 
gonelle, is of a russet green colour from the sun, but towards 
it inclining to an iron colour; the flesh is breaking, and has a 
rich musky flavour. It is ripe about tthe middle of August. 

7. The Windsor Pear has a smooth skin, and, when ripe, 
is of a yellowish gi'een colour ; the flesh is very soft, and, if 
permitted to hang but two or three days after it is ripe, grows 
mealy and is good for nothing. It becomes ripe about the lat- 
ter end of August. 

8. Jargonelle, commonly called Cuisse Madame. This 
is certainly the true French Jargonelle ; and the pear which 
commonly goes by that name in England is the real Cuisse 
Madame or Lady's Thigh ; and it is very probable that the 
names have been changed in coming to this country. This 
pear is somewhat like the Windsor; the skin is smooth, and 
of a pale green colour. This is a plentiful bearer ; but the 
flesh is apt to be mealy if it stands to be ripe, which is about 
the middle of August. 

9. The Orange ivlusk is of a yellow colour spotted with 
black ; the flesh is musky, but very apt to be dr}'. It ripens 
about the latter end of August. 

10. The Great Blanquet, or Bagpipe of Anjou, This 
pear has a smooth skin of a pale green colour ; the flesh is soft, 
and full of juice of a rich flavour. It ripens about the middle 
of August. 

11. The Little Blanquet Pear is much less than the former; 
of a pale colour, and the flesh tender and full of a rich musky 
juice. It ripens about the latter end of August. 

12. The Long-stalked Blanquet Pear has a very smooth 
skin, white, and a little coloured towards the sun, and is full 
of a rich sugary juice. It is ripe at the latter end of August. 

13. The Skinless Pear, or Early Russelet, is of a reddish 
colour, the skin extremely thin, and the flesh melting and full 
of a rich sugary juice. It ripens in the latter end of August. 

14. The ^lusk Robine Pear, or Queen's Pear (also called 
the Amber Pear), is small, and of a vellow colour when ripe ; 
it has a rich musky flavour, and is a great bearer. This pear 
ripens about the latter end of August. 

15. The Musk Drone Pear has a skin of a yellow colour 
when ripe, and a rich musky taste ; but is apt to grow mealy 
if left too long on the tree. It ripens about the beginning of 
September. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 55 



16. The Orange Pear is of a greenish colour; but the 
side next the sun changes to a purple colour when ripe ; the 
flesh is melting, and the juice sugary, with a little perfume. 
It ripens in the beginning of August. 

17. The Cassolette, or Green Muscat, is a small green- 
ish pear with some specks in the skin. It is full of a rich per- 
fumed juice, and ripens in the latter end of September. 

18. The Great Onion Pear, Brown Admired, or King of 
Summer, is of a brownish colour next the sun, and is ripe in 
the beginning of September. 

19. The Musk Orange Pear. The skin is green, and the 
flesh melting. It ripens in the beginning of September. 

20. Avorat, or August Muscat. This pear has a smooth 
skin of a whitish yellow colour ; the juice is richly sugared 
and perfumed, and it is esteemed one of the best summer 
pears yet known. It is a great bearer, and ripens in the be- 
ginning of September. 

21. The Rose Pear, or Thorny Rose. This is shaped 
like the Great Onion Pear, but much larger, of a yellowish- 
green colour, but a little inclining to red next the sun. The 
flesh is breaking, and the juice musky. This ripens in the 
beginning of September. 

22. Poire du Puchet. The flesh of this pear is soft and 
tender, and the juice sugary. It ripens in the beginning of 
September. 

23. The Perfumed Pear is of a deep red colour spotted 
with brown ; the flesh is melting, but <iry, and has a perfumed 
flavour. It ripens in the beginning of September. 

24. The Salviati Pear. This pear is red and yellow next 
the sun, but whitish on the other side ; the flesh is tender, and 
the juice sugary and perfumed. It ripens about the middle of 
September. . 

25. The Rose-water Pear. The skin of this pear is 
rough, and of a brown colour, the juice is very sweet, and 
tastes like rose-water. It ripens in the latter end of Sep- 
tember. 

26. The Russelet Pear. The flesh of this pear is soft 
and tender, and the juice is agreeably perfumed. It ripens in 
the latter end of September. 

27. The Great Mouth-water Pear. The flesh of this 
pear is melting and full of juice. It ripens about the latter 
end of September. 

28. The Prince's Pear has a highly-flavoured juice. It 
is a great bearer, and ripens about the latter end of Sep- 
tember. 



55 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



29. The Summer Bergamot. This is sometimes called 
Hamden's Bergamot. The flesh is melting, and the juice 
highly perfumed. It ripens about the latter end of September 

30. The Autumn Bergamot is smaller than the former ; 
the flesh is melting, and the juice highly perfumed, It is a 
great bearer, and ripens in the beginning of October. 

31. The Summer Bonchreiien is very full of juice, which 
is of a rich perfumed flavour. It ripens about the middle of 
September. 

32. Beurre Rouge (the Red Butter Pear). The flesh |is 
very melting and full of a rich sugary juice. It ripens in the 
beginning of October, and, when first gathered from the tree, 
is one of the very best sort of pears that we have. 

33. The Dean's Pear. The flesh of this pear is melting 
and full of juice, which is very cold. This is a great bearer, 
and ripens in the beginning of October. 

34. The Swiss Bergamot has a melting flesh and is full 
of juice. It ripens in the beginning of October. 

35. The Long Green Pear. The flesh is melting and full 
of juice. It ripens in the latter end of October. This, by 
some, is reckoned the same with the Mouth-water. 

36. The White and Grey Monsieur John. These are the 
same ; the diff'erence of their colour proceeding from the dif- 
ferent soils and situations wherein they grow, or the stocks on 
v/hich they are grafted. If this pear be rightly managed, there 
are not many sorts in the same season to be compared with it« 
The flesh is breaking, afld full of a rich sugared juice. It ri= 
pens in the latter end of October or beginning of November. 

37. The Flowered Muscat is an excellent pear ; the flesh 
is very tender, and of a delicate flavour. It ripens in No- 
vember. 

38. The Vine Pear is oP a dark red colour; the flesh is 
very melting, and full of a clammy juice. It comes into eat= 
ting in November. 

39. The Rousseline Pear is of a deep red colour, with 
spots of grey ; the flesh is very tender and delicate, and the 
juice very sweet, with an agreeable perfume. It ripens about 
the latter end of October, but will not keep. 

40. The Knave's Pear. The flesh of this pear is fine and 
tender, and the juice very much sugared. It ripens in the lat- 
ter end of October. 

41. The Marquiss Pear. If this pear do not change yel- 
low in ripening, it is seldom good ; but if it does, the flesh will 
be tender and delicate, very full of juice, which is sugared* 
|t comes into eating in November. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 57 



42. The Crasane Pear. The flesh of this pear is ex- 
tremely tender and buttery, and full of a rich sugared juice. 
It is the very best pear of the season, and comes into eating 
about the latter end of December. 

43. The Lansac, or Dauphine Pear. The flesh of this 
pear is yellow, tender, and melting ; the juice is sugared and 
a little perfumed. It is in eating the beginning of December. 

44- The Martin See (the Dry Martin), is almost Hke the 
Russelet in shape and colour ; the flesh is breaking and fine ; 
and the juice is sugared, with a little perfume. It is in eating 
about the beginning of December. 

45. The Amadot is rather dry, but high flavoured. It is 
in eating about the middle of December. 

46. The Little Lard Pear is extremely fine ; the flesh 
melting ; the juice is much sugared, and has an agreeable 
musky flavour. It is in eating the latter end of December, 
and is esteemed one of the best fruits in that season. 

47. Louisbonne (the Good Lewis Pear), The flesh of 
this pear is extremely tender, and full of a very sweet juice. 
It is in eating about the middle of December. 

48. The Colmar Pear is very tender, and the juice greatly 
sugared. It is in eating about the beginning of January, and 
is esteemed an excellent fruit. 

49. L'Eschasserie. The flesh of this pear is melting and 
buttery ; the juice is sugary, with a little perfume. It is in 
eating about the first of January. 

50. The Virgouleuse Pear is esteemed by some as one of 
the best fruits of the season* ; the flesh is melting, and full of 
a rich juice. It is in eating about the first of January. 

51. The Ambrette is esteemed a very good pear ; the flesh 
is quite melting, and full of sweet perfumed juice. It comes 
into eating about the beginning of January. 

52. Epine d'Hyver (the Winter Thorn Pear) has a very 
tender buttery pulp, of an agreeable taste, with a sweet juice 
highly perfumed. It is in eating about the latter end of De- 
cember. 

53. The St. Germain Pearf is a fine fruit, keeps long ; the 
flesh is melting, and very full of juice, which in a dry season, 

* In dry and cold seasons this pear is very apt to crack, which greatly 
diminishes its value. 

t This pear, owing to the hot and dry summer, has come into eating six 
weeks sooner this season than I ever remember ; and, of course, will be so 
much sooner out than usual. 

It is to be observed, that in dry seasons, fruit should not be suffered to 
sweat so long in the heaps, (as directed in the chapter ' On Gathering and 
laying up Fruit ;) perhaps a fortnight will be long enough. 



58 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



or if planted on a warm dry soil, is very sweet. This is in 
eating from December till February. 

54. St. Austin. This pear is pretty full of juice, which 
is often a little sharp ; the flesh is tender, but not buttery. It 
is in eating in the latter end of December, and will continue 
good two months. 

55. The Spanish Bonchretien is a large fine pear ; ^the 
flesh is breaking, and the juice sweet. It is in eating in Janu- 
ary. 

56. The Wilding of Cassoy, called also the Small Winter 
Butter Pear, is a small fruit ; the flesh is melting, and the juice 
very rich. It is in eating in January. I'his is an extraordinary 
good bearer. There was a tree of this kind at Cambden-house 
near Kensington, which generally produced a great quantity of 
fruit. 

57. The Martin Sire, or the Lord Martin Pear, is a good 
fruit; the flesh is breaking and full of juice, which is very 
sweet and a little perfumed. It is in eating in January. 

58. The Winter Russelet. The flesh of this pear is but- 
tery and melting, and generally full of a sweet juice. It is in 
eating in the latter end of January. 

59. Franc-real, or the Golden End of Winter, is only' 
esteemed for baking. 

60. TheBrown Beurre. This pear is of a reddish brown 
colour on the side next the sun, and yellowish on the other side. 
The flesh is melting, and full of a rich juice. It ripens in 
October, and is justly esteemed an excellent pear. 

61. The Holland Bergamot, Amoselle, or Lord Cheney^s, 
is a very good pear, the flesh is half buttery and tender, and 
the juice is highly flavoured, it will keep from the end of Janu- 
ary till April. 

62. The German Muscat is an excellent pear; it is buttery 
and tender, and the juice is highly flavoured. It is in eating 
from February till April or May. * 

63. The Pear of Naples, or Easter St. Germain, is half 
breaking; the juice is sweet, and a little vinous. It is in eating 
in March. 

64. The Winter Bonchretien Pear is very large ; the flesh 
is tender and breaking, and is very full of a rich sugared juice. 
This is in eating from the end of March till June. 

65. La Pastorelle is tender and buttery, and the juice sweet. 
This is in eating in March. 

66. St. Martial, or the Angelic Pear. The flesh of this 
is tender and buttery, and the juice is very sweet. This is in 
eating in March. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 59 



67. The Wilding of Chaumontelle is melting, the juice 
is very rich, and a little perfumed. It is in eatmg in January. 

68. The Brown St. Germain is a very fine high flavoured 
pear on dwarfs and standards, and comes in after the Wall St. 
Germain. It continues in eating from December to the end of 
IMarch. 

69. Pear D'Auch was introduced by the late Duke of 
Northumberland. It much resembles the Colmar, but is fuller 
towards the stalk. It is in eating from Christmas to April, 
and is, without exception, the best of all the winter pears. 

70. The Swan's Egg is a middle-sized pear, in shape like 
an egg ; is of a deeper green colour, thinly covered with brown; 
the flesh is melting and full of a pleasant musky juice. It comes 
in eating in November. The tree is healthy, and bears well 
either as a standard or any other way. 

71. The Bergamot de Pasque goes also by the following 
names, viz, the Terling, the Amoselle, the Paddington, and 
the Tarquin. This is a handsome fruit, green when gathered, 
and of a yellowish or straw colour when ripe. It comes into 
eating about the month of April, continues till June, and makes 
;a, very handsome appearance at table.* 

72. The Golden Beurre is a very fine pear ; It is of a 
beautiful scarlet colour next the sun, and of a gold colour on 
the other side. The flesh is melting and the juice high flavour- 
ed. It ripens in October. This tree succeeds best on an East 
aspect, and a loamy soil. It is a plentiful bearer.f 

A Selectio?! of Pears, from the Catalogue of Messrs. Anderson^ 
Leslie, ami Co. Nurserymen, Edinburgh. 

SUMMER PEARS. 

Pear James ; soon ripe, soon rotten; has a little flavour, 
and is the earliest pear that we have in Scotland. 

Early Carnock ; indiff'erent, of a vellow colour, and bright 
red towards the sun ; makes a beautiful standard. 

Lemon, Lady's Lemon, or Lady Lamont ; indifl'erentlv 
good ; principally valued for coming early, and being a good 

* This pear has come into eating above six weeks sooner this season than 
in any other in ray memory. 

t This pear was introduced from Burgundy by the late Marshall Conway, 
and v/as first raised in this country, at his seat of Park Place near Henley 
upon Thames, now the seat of Lord MalmesbHry. The above description was 
transmitted to me by Mr. Copland, his Lordships gardener. 



60 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



bearer. Green Pear of Pinkey; a small green pear, nearly 
round, of a sweetish taste. 

Forrow Cow, a ClydesSale Pear ; a large pear with a 
short stalk ; flat towards the eye ; its colour red and yellow ; 
its flesh tender and musked. 

Pear Sauch, a Clydesdale Pear, a big-bellied beautiful 
pear; the tree large, a great bearer, and fit for an orchard ; the 
pear but indifferent. 

Gray Honey, pretty good. 

Green Orange Pear, or Orange Vert; a very good pear. 

Brute Bone, Chaw Good, or the Pope's pear ; indifferent. 

Golden Knap, supposed Scotch, is a small summer Pear 
of tolerably good qualities. 

Early Achan, ah indifferent fruit, greatly inferior to the 
Winter Pear of that name. 

Hanging Leaf ; this is its name in Clydesdale ; good and 
beautiful, almost round, its colour red and yellow ; a delicious 
sweetness is found in its taste. 

Scots Bergamot, a large good pear, of a yellow and red 
colour ; its flesh tender and juicy. 

Longueville, very good, but a precarious bearer ; sup- 
posed French, but not in their catalogues by that name. 

Musked Boncretien, Gratioli, Cucumber, or Spinola's 
Pear ; a very good pear, if grafted on a free stock ; its pulp is 
somewhat between short and tender, with a great deal of per- 
fumed juice ; its colour red on one side, and white on the 
other. 

Saffron Pear ; a pretty large well shaped pear, fit for an 
orchard. 

AUTUMN PEARS. 

Keather, a Clydesdale Pear, of middling size, and oblong 
shape, its juice agreeable, 

French Carnock ; tolerably good. 

Elshin Haft, or Good-man Pear ; a long pear, flat towards 
the eye ; its colour green and yellow ; its flesh hard, dry, and 
sweet. 

Drummond, or Late Scotch Carnock ; very good, if eaten 
before it grows mealy ; its colour a bright red and yellow. 

Vicar, an oblong pear, its colour yellow, red and striped, 
tender, sweet, and musked, but dry. 

Royal Orange Bergamot ; this differs from the Orange 
Bergamot in being yellower, and sometimes having a faint red 
on one side. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 61 

Green Pear of Yair ; sweet, juicy, and melting ; of a mo- 
derate size ; takes its name from Yair, on Tweed-side, where 
it was first discovered. 

Rob Hind ; very indifferent. 

Le Besideri, the Wilding of the Forest of Ileri in Bre- 
tagne ; a yellowish pear of a middle size ; indifferent. 

Unicorn Pear ; of a beautiful red and yellow colour, but 
rather austere in taste. 

WINTER PEARS. 

Winter Achan, a Scotch Pear ; among the best early win- 
ter pears, and equal to most of those of French origin. 

Brier Brush, Scotch ; a good pear, and will ripen in most 
seasons ; it is a small pear, of a firm substance and sweet taste. 

Brompton Park ; a seedling sent by Jeffery by that name. 

Round Winter, a Clydesdale Pear ; a very excellent win- 
ter pear, as described in Dr. Gibson's Fruit Gardener. 

Poir Portrail, or Gate Pear ; for baking. 

La Double Fleur, or the Double Flowering Pear ; a large 
flat beautiful pear, with a smooth skin, and blush colour on 
one side, and yellow on the other ; the best pear to preserve, 
taking a beautiful red colour from the fire. 

In the following additional List, those marked ^ are best for baking 
or stewing, and those f for making of Perry » 

Ambrosia Pear, Green Bergamot, 

Ashton Town, Huntingdon Pear, 

Autumn Musk Bonchretien, f Huffcap, 

Bishop's Thumb, King's Catharine, 

^ Bloody Pear, Lammas, 

Brocas Bergamot, London Sugar, 

^ Barland, Muscat Almain, 

^ Besideri, Musk Blanquet, 

Beaurre de Roi, f Oldfield, 

^ Black Pear of Worcester, Orange Bergamot, 

Britannia, Pear Piper, 

Burdelieu, Pirus Poilveria, 

^ Catillac, Red Admirable, 

Doyenne, or St. Michael^ Scotch Bergamot, 

Easter St. Germain, Seven Angled, 

Gansel's Bergamot, Silver Striped, 

Golden Beurre, * Spanish Red Warden, 

Gray Beurre, + Squash, 

Gray Goodwife, Striped Verte Longe, 

Green Sugar, White Beurre. 



^2 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE ANi3 



To those who have small Gardens^ and room only for a few Trees^ 
Ixuould recommend the folloxving as the most useful^ viz. 

Summer Pears. ,.»The Musk Pear, the Green Chissel, Jar- 
gonelle, Summer Bergamot, Summer Bonchretien, 

Autumn Pears. ...TYiq Orange Bergamot, Autumn Berga- 
mot, Gansel's Bergamot, Brown Buerre, Doyenne or St. INIi- 
chael, and Swan's Egg, 

Winter Pears Crasane, Chaumontelle, St. Germain, 

Colmar, D' Auch, L'Eschas&erie, Winter B onchrctien, and 
Bergamot de Pasque. 

The above will furnish a regular succession of fruit. 

Gf the 3Ianagement of Pear-Trees. 

It will be unnecessary to say much here on the choice of 
young pear-trees, as the rules already laid down are sufficient 
for that purpose. 

I would advise those who intend to plant pear-trees, in- 
stead of choosing young ones, to look out for the oldest that 
they can find in the nursery, and with strong stems ; to have 
them carefully taken up, with as much of the roots as possible, 
and carefully planted, after cutting in the roots a litde, spread- 
ing them as horizontally as you can. Then fill up all round 
the roots with light dry mould ; forcing it in about those which 
lie hollow, with a sharp pointed stick ; filling the hole up to the 
top without treading the mould, till you have first filled the 
hole with as much water as it will contain, leaving it a day or 
two until the ground has absorbed the water ; then throw on 
some fresh dry mould, and tread it as hard as you can ; fill the 
hole up again with mould to within an inch of the top, and give 
it a second watering, leaving the mould about three inches 
higher than the border, to settle of itself, and to receive the 
rain that falls, for at least a month. When the mould has be- 
come quite dry, you may tread it a second time ; then make a 
large bason all round the tree, and give it another watering; 
then mulch the top over with some rotten leaves or dung, ob- 
serving to water the trees once a week in dry weather, and 
sprinkle the tops frequentlv with a pot, or hand-engine, to 
keep the wood from shriveling till the trees have taken fresh 
root. 

The method of pruning pear trees is very different from 
that practised for apple-trees in general. The constant practice 
has been, to leave great spurs, as big as a man's arm, from one 
foot to 18 inches long. [See Plate 7, Letter C] The constant 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 63 



pruning inevitably brings on the canker ; and, by the spurs 
standing out so far, the blossom and fruit are liable to be much 
injured by frost and blighting winds, and thus the sap will not 
have a free circulation ail over the tree. The sap will always 
find its way first to the extremities of the shoots ; and the spurs 
will only receive it in a small proportion, as it returns from the 
ends of the branches. The fruit standing at so great a distance 
from the branch, is liable to be hard, spotted, and kernelly ; 
as Letter D. Plate 7. 

I have adopted the following method when the trees were 
all over cankered, and the fruit small, and not fit to be sent to 
the table. I cut the tops ofi" as near as possible to where they 
were grafted ; always observing to cut as close to a joint or bud 
as possible. The buds are hardly perceptible ; but you can 
always know where the joints, or forks, are, by the branches 
breaking out of the sides. 

Finding the pear-trees in Kensington Gardens in a very 
cankery and unfruitful state, in the years 1784 and 5, I took 
out the old mould from the borders against the walls, and put 
in fresh loam in its stead ; at the same time I pruned and nailed 
the trees in the common way, and left them in that state up- 
wards of eighteen months, to see what effect the fresh mould 
would have on them; but to my great surprize, I found that 
it had no good effect. 

After I had tried the fresh mould as above, I began to 
consider what was best to be done with so many old pear-trees 
that were worn out. The fruit that they produced I could not 
send to his Majesty's table with any credit to myself, it being 
small, hard, and kernelly- I thought it would be a great re- 
flection on me as a professional man, that after I had put his 
Majesty to so great an expence, no advantage was likely to be 
derived from it. I saw that some new method must be tried 
to restore these old trees, or that next year they must be grub- 
bed up, and was loth to give them entirely up before I had 
tried some experiments. I considered, that it must be between 
twelve and fourteen years before \ could have any fruit from 
young trees y and therefore determined to try an experiment, 
with a view of recovering the old ones, 

I began with cutting down four old decayed pear-trees 
of different kinds, near to the place where they had been graft- 
ed : This operation was performed on the 15th of May, 1786. 
Finding that they put forth fine shoots, I headed down four 
more on the 20th of June in the same year (for by this time 
the former had shoots of a foot long), which did equally well, 
and bore some fruit in the following year. One of the first 



64 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



four that I headed down was a St. Germain, which produced 
nineteen fine large well-flavoured pears next year, [See Letter B. 
Plate 7.] and in the third bore more fruit than it did in its 
former state when it was four times the size. 

I left seven trees upon an East aspect, treated according 
to the common method of pruning, which bore the following 
number of pears upon each tree : 

Epine d'Hyver produced eighty-six pears, and the tree 
spread fifteen yards. 

A Crasane produced one hundred pears, and the tree 
spread fourteen yards. 

Another Crasane produced sixteen pears, and the tree 
spread ten yards. 

A Virgoiileuse produced one hundred and fifty pears, 
and the tree spread nine yards. 

A Colmar produced one hundred and fifty pears, and the 
tree spread nine yards. 

Another Colmar produced seventy-nine pears, and the 
tree spread ten j^ards. 

A L'Eschasserie produced sixty pears. 

Seven trees, headed down and pruned according to my 
method, leaving the fcre-riglit shoots in summer, bore as ful- 
lows, in the fourth year after heading. 

A Louisbonne bore four hundred and sixty-three pears, 
and the tree spread nine yards. 

Another Louisbonne bore three hundred and ninety-one 
peai"s, and spread eight yards. 

A Colmar bore two hundred and thirteen pears, and 
spread six yards. 

A Brown Beurre bore five hundred and three pears. 

Another Brov/n Beurre bore five hundred and fifty pears. 

A Crasane bore five hundred and twenty pears. 

A Virgouleuse bore five hundred and eighty pears. 

The branches of the four last trees spread nearly in the 
same proportion as the first three. 

A young Beurre, the second year after heading, bore two 
hundred and thirty pears ; and a St. Germain, four hundred. 

All the above trees stood upon the same aspect and the 
same wall, and the fruit was numbered in the same year, A 
great many pears which dropped from the trees are not reck- 
oned. The trees that were pruned according to the old prac- 
tice covered at least one-third more wall than the others. 

By the above statement it appears, that the trees headed 
down bore upwards of five times the quantity of fruit that the 
others did ; and it keeps increasing in proportioti to the pro- 
gress of the trees. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 65 



On the 20th of June, (same month will do for America), 
I headed several standards that were almost destroyed by the 
canker ; some of them were so loaded with fruit the following 
year, that I was obliged to prop the branches, to prevent their 
being broken down by the weight of it. In the fourth year af- 
ter these standards were headed down, one of them bore two 
thousand eight hundred and forty pears. There were three 
standards on the same border with the above, |;wo of which 
were St. Germains ; the old tree was of the sanpie kind. One 
of these trees*, twenty years old, had five hundred pears on it, 
which was a great crop for its size : So that there were on the 
old tree, which had been headed down not quite four years, 
two thousand three hundred and forty pears more than on the 
tree of twenty years growth. 

When the men numbered the pears, there was near a bar- 
row full of wind-falls at the bottom of the old tree, which were 
not included. 

Plate 8 is a correct drawing of an old decayed Beurre 
pear-tree, (restored from an inch and a half of bark) which 
now covers a wall sixteen feet high-j*. In the year 1796, it bore 
four hundred and fifty fine large pears, and has continued in a 
flourishing state ever since. The letters «, a, represent the 
fruit buds for the present year ; ^, ^, are those forming for 
next year ; and c, c, c, the old foot-stalks that bore the fruit last 
year: The small buds are beginning to form, which produce 
fruit the second year ; and are the fore-right shoots as 

they appear before they are cut, which must be at ^, close to a 
bud, leaving them as regular as possible all over the tree ; you 
will then have a regular crop of fruit from the stem to the ex- 
tremities of the branches : but if this be not observed, you 
will have hardly any fruit next year. 

The following is the method which I pursue in training 
trees that are cut near to the place where they were grafted. 

Every year, in the month of March (middle of April for 
America), I shorten the leading shoot to a foot or eighteen 
inches, according to its strength ; this shoot will, if the tree 
be strong, grow from five to seven feet long in one season ; 

* This tree was about six years old when I planted it, fourteen years 

»go. 

t I saw this tree, as, indeed, I did all the others that are represented In 
the plates, at the end of the work ; and a most gratifying sight it was to me. 
The remains of the old bark were easily distinguishable from the new bark, 

which looked precisely like that of a young tree The same operation would 

produce the same effects in standards as well as wall trees, and in America as 
well as in England, 



66 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



and, if left to nature, would run up without throwing out 
side shoots. The reason for thus shortening the leading shoot 
is, to make it throw out side shoots ; and if it be done close 
to a bud, it will frequently cover the cut in one season, leaving 
only a cicatrix, as at /, in plate 8, which shew every 
year's growth and cicatrix. When the shoots are very strong, 
I cut the leading shoot twice in one season ; by this method I 
get two sets of side shoots in one year, which enable me the 
sooner to fill the tree. The first cutting is performed any 
time during the spring, and the second about the middle of 
June. 

When you prune the trees, and cut the fore-right shoots, 
which should be done in February or March (not sooner than 
the middle of March in America), always cut close to an eye 
or bud, observing where you see the greatest number of leaves 
at the lower bud, and cut at them ; for at the foot-stalk of every 
one of these will be produced a flower bud. You will have in 
some sorts of pears, in a favourable season, from five to nine 
pears in a cluster. This cutting should not be later than March 
or the beginning of April, (it may be done till the middle of 
April in America) on account of the leading shoot beginning 
to grow ; the next topping, when the leading shoot grows, 
quick enough to admit of it, should be about the middle of 
June (latter end of June in America), and the length of the 
shoots should be according to their strength, having from 
three eyes, or buds, to six on a side. Plate 8, will better 
explain the diiferent years' growth, &c. than I can do by 
words. The lowest is the place where we began to cut the 
top off ; and the old decayed stump, with very little bark 
left. 

The cankery part beginning to effect the new baik, I cut 
off all the canker at the bottom last year, and plastered the 
place with some cow-dung mixed with wood-ashes and powder 
of burnt bones, put into as much urine and soap-suds as 
would make it of the consistence of thick paint ; this I laid on 
with a painter's brush. After it had been applied about three 
hours, I patted it gently down, with my hand, close to the 
tree. By so doing, I get rid of all the air bubbles that may be 
under the composition, and make it adhere to the tree, pre- 
venting it from being washed off by heavy rains. 

In the beginning of August (same season in America), 
we shorten the fore-right shoots to about four inches long ; 
by this time the shoot will have made its full growth for 
the season, and will produce fine strong eyes for the follow- 
ing year. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. er 



The tree above-mentioned had a decayed rotten root, the 
dead part of which I cut all away, till I came to the sound 
wood. Whenever the trunk is hollow, you must follow it 
under ground till you have cut out all the decayed parts and 
rotten roots ; otherwise you will lose the tree. 

By proceeding according to the foregoing directions, 
the root will be renewed, while the tree is forming a fine 
handsome head. In the mean-time trench your borders, tak- 
ing up all the old roots, and add some fresh mould to them, 
if you can conveniently get it ; if you cannot, remove all the 
sour mould that is about the roots of the trees, and put in 
some taken from the border, at a distance from the wall ; 
always remembering to lay the top spit next to the roots of 
the trees ; also, mix some vegetable mould, from the melon 
and cucumber beds, with rotten leaves, as a manure for the 
borders. 

I have headed down many trees that had not this pre- 
paration ; and yet they throve very well, but did not send 
forth such fine roots and shoots as those that v/ere so pre- 
pared. 

If the above directions be followed, you will get more 
pears in three or four years than you can in twenty-five years 
by planting young trees, and pruning and managing them in 
the common way. 

If pears are grafted on free stocks, such as Colmars, 
Pear D'Auch, Crasanes, L'Eschasseries, Virgouleuses, and 
Winter and Summer Bonchretiens. 

The depth of the mould for pear-trees should never be 
less than three feet, laying the best mould at top, to encourage 
the roots to come as near the surface as possible. If the bot- 
tom be clay it will be very necessary, once in every five or six 
years, to open the ground round the roots of the trees, and cut 
off all the large ones that are inclining to run into the clay ; by 
fio doing your trees will throw out fresh roots that will run near 
the surface, provided the mould is good near the top. 

You may have a crop of early peas, lettuce, or spinach, or 
any other small crops on the ground, during the winter and 
spring ; but no late crops by any means. If the ground can be 
spared, I would advise to have no summer crops ; but keep 
the borders hoed, in particular after rain, otherwise the ground, 
if a strong loamey or clayey soil, will be apt to crack in dry 
weather ; but by frequent stirring between wet and dry this will 
be in a great measure prevented, and the sun's rays admitted 
into the mould, which will greatly heighten the flavour of the 
fruit. When you can conveuiently spare the ground in winter, 



68 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



it should be ridged up to sweeten the mould ; which you may 
very well do, if you sow early peas on the sides of the ridges ; 
which is by far the best way to preserve the peas from the frost, 
and to prevent them from rotting, which will sometimes hap- 
pen, if the land be strong, before they begin to vegetate. Or, 
you may sow an early crop of carrots or spinach in the ground. 



( 69 ) 



CHAPTER VIIIo 



OF VINES. 

^iff'erent Sorts of Vines cultivated in England.*.Of their Propa-> 
gation*,.. Experiments on Training and Pruning ^ with full 
Directions for the right Performance of both,, .Use of the 
Composition in Pruning,., Of Watering,,. Preserving Grapes 
from Flies J Wasps ^ and Birds„.Of gathering Grapes^ and 
keeping them in Winter^ 

JL HE Vine is a native of most of the temperate parts of the 
world, and has been cultivated ever since the flood. It belongs 
to the first order of Linnseus's fifth clasSj Pentandria Mono- 

gynia, 

I shall here select those vines which are most esteemed in 
this country, for the hot-house, vinery, and natural wall j and 
give a short descrption of each, 

N. B. The letter h distinguishes the proper sorts for a 
hot-house ; the letter v for a vinery ; and the letter w for ^ 
common wall. 

1. The July Grape, or Morillon Noir Hatif, is a small 
round black berry, of a sugary juice, and is principally esteem-? 
e?l for being early ripe, which is in September, v, zv, 

2. The Royal Muscadine, D'Arboyce, or Chasselas Blanc, 
is an excellent grape ; the bunches are large and composed of 
round amber-coloured berries of a rich vinous taste. In a fine 
season it ripens in September, h, v, 

3. The Malmsey Muscadine somewhat resembles the 
preceding ; the juice is very sweet, and of a high flavour. This 
is a good bearer and a very fine grape, w, v, 

4. The Black Muscadine, This is a good bearer, and the 
berries are beautifully powdered with a bluish bloom, h, v. 

5. The White, or Common Muscadine, by some called 
the Chasselas. This resembles the Royal Muscadine, but the 
berries are smaller ; and, although it is not; so sweet as the 



70 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Royal, it is the best grape that we have for a common wall, 
and a great bearer. zi\ 

6. The White Muscat of Alexandria, or Alexandrian 
Frontinac. The berries are oval, and the bunches long. This 
grape has a rich vinous juice, and is esteemed an exceeding 
good grape for the hot-house, h. 

7. The Red Muscat of Alexandria resembles the former j 
only the berries are red. h, 

8. The White Muscat, from Lunel. This grape has large 
oval berries of an amber colour, and full of a vinous juice. 
This vine is a plentiful bearer, and highly esteemed, h. v, 

9. The Black Muscadel has large oval berries of a black 
colour, and pleasant juice, h. 

10. The Red Muscadel has large red berries of an oval 
shape, and ripens late. The bunches are very large, h. 

11. The Black Damascus has large, round, black coloured 
berries ; the flesh is r^ch, and well flavoured. This is an ex- 
cellent late grape, h, 

12. The Black Grape from Tripoli has large black berries, 
and if; an excellent grape, h, 

13. The Black Spanish, or Alicant Grape. This grape has 
jblack berries of a pleasant flavour, /z, v, 

14. The Black Grape from Lisbon. This grape has large 
round juicy berries, and the bunches resemble the Black Ham- 
burgh. This is a good grape, h, v? 

15. The Black Frontinac, or Muscat Noir. This grape 
has pretty large round berries, black when ripe, and covered 
with a mealy powder. It has a rich vinous juice, a.nd ripens in 
October, v. h. 

16. The Red Frontinac, or Muscat Rouge, is a very fine 
grape, and gready esteemed. It has large brick-coloured ber- 
ries, and the juice is of a highly vinous flavour, 

17. The White Frontinac, or Muscat Blanc, has large 
bunches composed of round berries. The juice of this grape, 
when fully ripe, is exquisite, h, v. zu. 

18. Grizzly Frontinac has round berries, of a colour com- 
posed of brown, red and yellow. This grape has an excellent 
flavour, h. v. 

19a The White Sweet Water. The berry is large, of a 
white colour and very agreeable juice? I his is esteemed ar> 
excellent grape, and ripens in September, h. v, w, 

20. The Black Sweet Water has a small roundish berry 
pf a sweet taste j but, l)eing apt to crack, is not much in repute. 
The birds are very fond oi this grape, which ripens in Septem- 
)[3er» V. vj* 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 71 



21. The Black Hamburgh. The bunches of this grape 
are large, composed of large oval black berries, of a pleasant 
sweet juice and vinous flavour. It ripens in November, h, v, 

22. The Red Hamburgh has thin-skinned berries of a 
dark red. They have a rich vinous flavour, and ripens about 
the same time with the former, h, r. 

23. The White Hamburgh. This grape has large oval- 
shaped berries, and is a pretty good bearer.' A. 

24. The Small Black Cluster has small oval berries. The 
leaves are covered with a hoary down. This is a very pleasant 
fruit. V, w, 

25. The Large Black Cluster is larger than the former, 
and has a very rough harsh taste. Mr. Speechly says, that he 
had this grape from Lisbon-, and was assured that it is the grape 
of which they make Red Port Wine. I have had the same 
grape eight or ten years, v, 

26. The White Grape from Alcobaca. This grape bears 
large bunches of white juicy berries, v. 

27. The White Morillon has an oval-shaped juicy berry. 
The leaves are downy on the under side. h. v, 

28. Early White Grippe from Teneriff'e. The berries are 
of a middling size, and the flesh remarkably sweet and juicy. 
V, zv, 

29. The White Parsley-leaved Grape, or Ciotat. This 
grape has round berries, white, juicy, and sweet. There is a 
sort of the parsley-leaved grape with red fruit, v. 

30. The White Corinth Grape has a small round berry, 
with a fine juicy flesh of an agreeable flavour, v. 

31. The Aleppo Grape has middle-sized berries, with a 
juicy flesh of a very fine flavour. This is a curious grape, fre- 
quently striped black and white, h, v. 

32. The Red Grape from Syracuse. This is a very fine 
large grape, h. 

33. L Cceur Grape, or Morocco Grape. This grape has 
berries of a tawney colour, and is highly esteemed, h, 

34. The Golden Galician Grape has large oval berries, of 
a yellow colour, and tolerable flavour, h, 

35. The Black Raisin Grape. This species has large 
black berries of an oval form. The skin is thick, and the flesh 
firm, h, 

36. The V/hite Raisin Grape resembles the preceding, 
only that the berries are white. 

37. The Malvoise, sometimes called the Blue Tokay, has 
small brownish berries, powdered with a blue bloom. The 
juice is vinous, h. v. 



r2 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



38. The Genuine Tokay is a white grape, with a thin 
skin, delicate flesh, and agreeable juice, h, v. 

39. The Lombard}- Grape has fine large flame-coloured 
berries full of a fine juice ; and the bunches grow to a great 
size, frequently weighing more than six pounds, h. t\ 

40. The Smyrna Grape. This has a large red berry of a 
very fine flavour, and is esteemed a ver}- good grape, /i. 

41. The Brick Grape, so called from its colour, has small 
berries, but the juice is sweet, v. rv. 

42. The Claret Grape has small black berries, with a 
blood-red juice : but the grape is veiy harsh, if not perfectly 
ripe. h. -:"e 

43. The Syrian Grape. This has large, white, oval ber- 
ries, with a thick skin and hard flesh. It is a good bearer. 

44. The Auverna, or True Burgundy Grape, sometimes 
called the Black Morillon, is an indifterent fruit for the table ; 
but is esteemed one of the best for making wine. v. xv. 

4:5. Cat's Grape. This Grape has small berries of a pale 
green colour. The flesh is soft and juicy, but of a very dis- 
agreeable taste, unless quite ripe. h. v, 

45. The Damson Grape has very large berries of a pur- 
ple colour. 

47. St. Peter's Grape has a large oval beiTy, of a deep 
black colour when ripe ; the bunches are large, and the flesh 
juicy ; it ripens late. r. 

48. The Greek Grape. The berries are of a bluish v>-hite 
colour ; and it is esteemed a fine grape, h, v. 

49. The Black Corinth, or Currant Grape, is a small 
roundish berry, generally without a stone, of a deep black co- 
lour. It has a sweet juice, and ripens in October, h. v. 

50. The Coruichon Grape has berries of a remarkable 
shape, long and narrow, of a white colour, with a firm sweet 
flesh, h. 

51. The Red Chasselas is ver}- like the Chasselas Blanc 
in size and shape, but is of a dark red colour. It is a ver\- 
good grape, but ripens later than the white. 

52. The New Muscat of Jerusalem was introduced by 
Mr. Philip INIiller, a vine of which is now in the Botanic 
Gardens at Chelsea. It has large round ben-ies of a red co- 
our ; some of which I have, in line seasons, seen as large as 
a gooseberry ; but, as it does not ripen well on the natural 
wall in this country, it might be worth while to try it in a hot- 
house, or vinery. It was introduced here about thirtj'-six years 
ago. h. V. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 73 



^ 53. The Black Prince. This has fine large berries, and 

I the bunches grow to a large size : I have had them, in a fa- 
vourable season, on the natural wall, v/eigh a pound and a 
half. This grape very well deserves a place in the hot-house 
and viner}'. 

To the foregoing maij be added: 

Black Frankindale, Red Constantia, 

Black Gibraltar, Red Raisin, 

Black Muscat of Alexandria, Sir Abraham Pitchers Fine 

The Miller Grape, Black, 

New White Sweet Water, West's St. Peter, 

Passe Musk, White Constantia. 

Pearl Muscadine, 

From the Red and ^^Tiite Constantia is made the famous 
Constantia Wine, so called from a place near the Cape of 
Good Hope. 

My worthy friend. Colonel Paterson^, informs me, that 
this vine, when transplanted to but a small distance from that 
spot, produces a very inferior wine. In his narative he 
says, " Constantia produces excellent wine, though the situa- 
tion is rather low. It is, however, preferable to all other parts 
of this district ; not only because it is rather more elevated, 
but on account of the nature of the soil, which is a light sandy 
loam." 

Select Vines for a small Garden* 

The White Muscadine ; White Sweet Water; Black 
Sweet Water ; Large Black Cluster ; Small Black Cluster ; 
the Miller Grape. 

St. Peter's, and the Black Hamburgh, will do very well 
in favourable seasons. 

Of the Propagation of Vines. 

The vine is propagated by seeds, cutiirgs, and layers ; 
and bv grafting and inoculation. 

^Vhen vines are to be raised from seed, it should be sown 
about the latter end of February, or beginning of March, in 
pots filled with light fresh mould, and plunged in a moderately 
warm hot-bed, gently sprinkling the mould from a waterinjr- 
pot having a fine rose. About six or eight seeds, if good, will 

* This gentleman is well known in the Literary World, by his Nara- 
tive of Four journies into the Country of the Hottentots, and Caffraria ; 
from whence he sent a great man_.- new plants and seeds to England. He also 
brought home with him some curious skins ; and good drawings of many- 
plants, animals, S;c. 



I 



74 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



be sufficient for a small flower-pot; for, if sown too thick, the 
plants are apt to be drawn, and thereby become very weak. In 
dry weather, the pots should be watered gendy every day ; 
but in wet or moist weather this may frequently be omit- 
ted, giving them so much only as will keep the mould moist 
till the plants begin to vegetate. The proper time for wa- 
tering is in the afternoon, when the sun is going off the frame. 
Observe to shut the frame down immediately after watering ; 
and if the heat be not too great, it may remain shut during 
the night. As the heat of the bed begins to decay, you must 
add a lining of horse-dung and fresh leaves ; which, when oc- 
casion requires, maybe shaken up and repaired by adding some 
fresh leaves and dung to it, and thus keep up a proper warmth 
till the plants have got sufficient srength to do without any bot- 
tom heat. 

About the latter end of August it will be necessarv to 
take the lights off, that the plants may be hardened before 
winter, taking care to shelter them in frames covered with 
mats, which will prevent the frost in the latter end of Octo- 
ber and beginning of November from injuring the tender 
shoots. 

When the plants are about six inches high, they should be 
transplanted singly into deep pots, filled with the same sort of 
vegetable mould as is directed to be used for vines ; taking- 
great care not to hurt the roots, nor to break the leaders ; then 
plunge them again into the hot-bed ; but if the heat of the old 
bed be too much decayed, it v/ill be necessary to have a new 
one prepared before-hand to receive the pots as soon as the 
plants are transplanted. If they grow vigorously, it will be 
necessary to shift them into still larger pots. 

When the plants are above six inches high, they should 
be carefully tied to small rods, leaving only one stem for the 
first year. The rods should be as high as the frames will per- 
mit. 

When the leaves begin to drop, they should be carefully 
picked off the pots, to prevent the plants from getting mouldy, 
which would very much injure them. 

The plants should be kept under frames, or put into the 
green-house, in hard winters, to shelter them from severe 
frosts. In the spring, about March or the beginning of April, 
(middle of May in America), if from seed ripened in this 
country, they may be planted out against the walls where they 
are to remain ; but, if from seed imported from vine coun- 
tries, I would advise not to plant above one or two against 
the wall, or in the hot-house, before you have obtained a spe- 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 75 



cimen of the fruit, and be satisfied that they are worth culti- 
vating. 

After they are planted, they should be cut at the third 
eye^, if strong; but at the second, if weakly: At the same 
time remember to rub off the lower bud with your finger and 
thumb, as hereafter directed. 

If vines are to be propagated from cuttings, they should 
be chosen from the shoots that are best ripened, and have the 
shortest joints ; always having one or two joints of the last 
year's wood, cutting it perfectly smooth and a little rounding 
at the lower end, and as near to a joint of the old wood as 
possible. The upper end should also be cut smooth and slop- 
ing towards the wall ; but if they are planted in beds or bor- 
ders, let the cut always face towards the North. When cut- 
tings are planted against piers or walls, let it be at about a foot 
distant from each other, according to the vacant space, and so 
deep as to have the second eye level with the ground; remem- 
bering always to rub off the lower eye. By so doing, if no 
accident happens to the top bud, there will be a shoot produc- 
ed from each eye, with a little one under, which should al- 
ways be rubbed off as soon as it begins to swell; for if suffered 
to grow to any considerable size you will be in danger of In- 
juring the large one in rubbing the small one off. Remember 
also to pick off all the runners and side shoots, as before di- 
rected, leaving only two shoots, which should be trained at 
their full length. About January or February they may be 
prunedf, leaving one or two eyes on each according to the 
strength of the shoot, which should be managed as shall be more 
fully explained hereafter. 

In the first year, especially if the summer be dry, and pro- 
per attention be not paid to the watering of them, they will 
make but little progress ; but in the second year you will plainly 
discern which is the strongest plant, which only should be left 
to fill up the vacant space on the wall : The rest should be 
taken up and planted in other situations where they are wanted. 

Mr. Speechly and others practise a method of propoga- 
ting the vine from one eye and a few inches of the preceding 

* That is, three eyes from the ground. 

f In America the pruning of vines should be performed, not in the fall, 
for the hard frost is then apt to kill the joints which are cut, and, sometimes 
it kills the whole branch. Neither should it be done too late in the spring, 
for the vegetation is so rapid, and the sap mounts in such abundance, that 
the vines are in great danger of bleeding to death. The latter end of Febru- 
ary, or the first week in March seems to be the best time ; but, as the seasons 
differ so widely in different years, much must, on this point, be left to the ob- 
servation and judgment of the cultivator. 



76 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



year's wood, which he prefers to those raised by cuttings in 
the common way, for the following reasons : " They have 
more abundant roots, grow shorter jointed, are more prolific^ 
and will, if permitted, come into bearing the second year." 

You should make choice of the cuttings after a warm dry 
season, such as last year (1300); but not after such as the 
year before, when the wood did not ripen properly, owing to 
the wet and cold season. Each cutting should have two inches, 
of the old wood, with one eye of the new. When you prune 
your vines you will have great choice ; you should then select 
3^our cuttings of a middling size> the wood round and per- 
fectly ripened. 

If, however, my friend, Monsieur Le Geau, of Spring 
Mills, will have the goodness to add his opinion at the bottom 
of this note, the reader will, I am certain, derive great advan- 
tage from it. 

Vines are also propagated by layers in the following man- 
ner: Take layers from walls or palings, observing to train the 
shoots at full length during the summer. Then, about the 
month of February, take some of the finest and strongest 
shoots, and lay them in the ground about six inches below the 
surface ; at the same time making an incision or two in the old 
wood, or giving it a twist just below a joint: They will ge« 
nerally take without notching or twisting ; yet, as it is the su- 
rer way, I would advise it to be done. The tops of the layers 
should then be cut off, leaving two or three strong eyes upoi^ 
each. 

When the shoots begin to run, they should be tied to long 
stakes, to prevent their being broken by the wind. All the 
runners and side shoots are to be picked off, leaving only two 
or three fine strong shoots on each plant, which should be 
trained at full length during the summer. 

After the shoots are laid, it will be necessary mulch them 
with good rotten dung, or rotten leaves, which will keep the 
mould moist ; and in very dry summers, such as the last 
(1800), it wiU be necessary to give them a good watering 
once or twice a week : this will wash in the dung or leaves, 
about the roots, and cause the layers to shoot more vigorously. 

In choosing vines from the nursery, I would recommend 
those which have the strongest and longest shoots. 

If the foregoing directions are properly attended to, the 
plants will be rooted and fit well for planting out in the autumn. 

When any are to be planted out, they should be care- 
fully cut off' from the mother vine and carried without shak- 
ing the earth from their roots, to the spot, where they are to. 
be planted. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c, 77 



If the season be warm and fine, the grapes of early kinds 
ripen very well on these layers before they are taken up ; and, 
if properly managed, they will bear some fruit the first year 
after planting. One of the strongest shoots must be left nearly 
at full length, cutting it as high as the uppermost full bud, 
leaving nothing but round well-ripened wood. If there are 
three shoots, the remaining two should be cut so as to leave 
only two full eyes upon each, which should be trained at full 
length, as before directed, to produce fine wood for next year. 
The shoot which was trained the preceding year should 
then be cut down, leaving only two strong eyes to produce 
wood for the following year ; and so on every year, cutting 
the branches alternately ; by so doing, you will be able to 
keep your walls always covered with fine healthy bearing 
wood. 

This method of laying is practised with great success by 
many Nurserymen in the neighbourhood of London ; in parti- 
cular by Messrs. Gray and Wear at Brompton-park nursery, 
and by Messrs. Kirke at Brompton ; each of whom raises an- 
nually several hundred plants, for which they find a great de- 
mand. 

If any vines that have been raised from seed should not 
prove to be of a good flavour, they will be very fit to graft or 
inarch the finer sorts of vines on : As the coarser sorts grow 
more vigorous than the finer, they are, for that reason, fitter 
for grafting or inarching. 

The best manure for vines is a mixture of vegetable mould* 
rotten spit dung, and fresh loam (turf and all) ; this should 
be thrown in a heap, and frequently turned, for a year or two 
before it is used. 

Observations and Experiments on the Training and Pruning 

of Vines. 

The following is the method that I pursued with some 
vines which were planted against the piers of a South wall, and 
among old peaches, nectarines, plums, &c. 

When I took them in hand, the fruit was so small and 
hard as to render it unfit to be sent to the table. The vines 
were trained upright, which caused them to grow so lux- 
uriantly that the sap fiov/ed into the branches instead of the 
fruit. 

* For producing vegetable mould see the directions for the management 
of apple-trees. 

M 



1 



78 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



In the vear 1789 I let two strong branches grow to their 
full length without topping them in the summer. In 1790 I 
trained them in a serpentine form [See Plate 10,] leaving 
about thirty eves on each shoot, whi-ch produced one hun- 
dred and twenty-fine bunches of grapes, weighing from one 
pound to a pound and a quarter each. Every one that saw 
them said, that the large ones were as fine as forced grapes ; 
while the small ones produced from branches of the same 
vine, trained and pruned in the old way, were bad natural 
grapes, and not above twice the size of large currants*. 

More fully to prove the success attending this experiment, 
I next year trained five plants in the same way, allowing the 
shoots intended for bearing wood to run to their full length 
in summer, training them wherever there was a vacancy be- 
tween the old trees ; where there was none, I ran them along 
the top of the v»'"all, without topping them. In Vv^nter I train- 
ed them in a serpentine manner so as to fill the wall as regu- 
larly as possible : They were as productive as those in the 
former year. 

After a three years' trial, I thought I was warranted to 
follow the same practice with the whole ; and in the year 1793 
I sent, for the use of his IMajesty and the Royal family, three 
hundred and seventy-eight baskets of grapes, each weighing 
about three pounds, without planting a single vine more than 
there w^ere the preceding year, in which I was able to send 
onh^ fifty-six baskets of the same weight ; and those so bad 
and ill-ripened that I was ashamed of them, as they were not 
fit to be sent to the table. 

In this vear there was more than a quarter of the crop de- 
stroyed by birds and insects, and rotted by the wet. 

Although the above statement is within the bounds of 
truth, it may appear to the reader like an exaggeration; but it 
is in the power of every one, who will follow the directions 
here given, to prove the advantage that will accrue from this 
method of training. 

The above experiments were all made on the natural walls, 
and I hope will be sufficient to convince every unprejudiced 
person of the great advantage that tire serpentine method of 
training vines possesses above the common way. 

It may be proper to observe, that the shoots should be 
brought as near as possible from the bottom of the vine, that 

* I conjure the Ameripan planter to read this with attention. With a 
due observance of the directions here laid down, how plentiful might good 
grapes become in Pennsylvania, New-Jersev, and Is"e\v-York ! 



9 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 79 



the wall may be well covered. When the walls are high, and 
the shoots from the serpentine branches strong, we sometimes 
let them remain ; but if the walls are low, and the serpentine 
branches produce weak shoots, we cut them out in the au- 
tumnal pruning, and train up the strongest of the young wood 
in their room; as directed in the explanation of plate 10. 

O71 the Priiniiig and Training of Vines, 

It is to be observed, that the wood must be strong, or the 
vines will produce small bunches. If that be the case, cut them 
down to two or three eyes, in order to have strong wood for 
next year. Vines bear their fruit on the wood that was pro- 
duced the preceding year. If dieir be a great deal of old naked 
wood on them, as generally is the case, with some small weak 
shoots at the extremities, always cut them down as near to the 
ground as possible ; you will then have no fruit for that year*. 
Or you may cut every other shoot, leaving the old ones to pro- 
duce some small grapes. The next year you will have plenty 
of fine wood, provided you take care to nail in the strongest 
shoots, and pick off all the side shoots that are produced from 
the eyes, pinching them off with the finger and thumb, or cut- 
ting them out with a sharp penk-nife close to the bud or eye ; 
but never twist them ; for by twisting them you will hurt the bud 
that produces the grapes next year ; always observing to cut 
as near to the bud as possible, and taking care to lay in the wood 
very thin in summer, that the sun and air may be freely admit- 
ted to ripen it : By these means it will grow very strong. Take 
care also to keep the shoots nailed to the wall, which will pre- 
vent their being broken by the high winds ; observing to pick 
off all the side shoots every time you nail them, which ought 
to be done several times during the summer months, accord- 
ing to the quickness of their growth. In fine weather they 
will grow so very quick, that you will have occasion to look 
over them once every fortnight or three weeks, if you wish to 
have them in good order. Never suffer the vines to run to- 

* It is generally thought, in America, that when the vine ceases to bear, 
it is tvorn eut, and should be thrown away. This is a great error, the failure 
in the crop arises solely from the want of proper management. A vine will 
live as long, and, perhaps, longer, than an oak ; and the older it is, the better 
it is, both as to the abundance and the quality of its fruit. As a proof of 
this I need only mention tiie farmers vine at Hampton Court Palace, which 
is one of the curiosities that are shewn to strangers at that place. This vine 
■was planted in the reign of King William, and it bore, in 1800, nearly two 
tons weight of grapes. Many gentlemen now in Philadelphia have seen this 
vine, and have received the same account of its pi-oduct, the truth of which is 
well known in England. The stem is about three feet in girt, and the branches 
extend about sixty feet from the stem. 



80 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



gether in a cluster, and to mat, which will infallibly ruin them 
for bearing the succeeding year. Top the shoots that have 
been trained in a serpentine manner, as soon as the grapes come 
to the size of very small green peas, a joint or two above the 
fruit ; but never top the leading shoot, nor that which you in- 
tend should bear fruit next 3^ear. 

I shall now give some directions for the second year's 
pruning. 

I would never recommend the pruning of vines till the be* 
ginning of February, except in such a season as the present ; 
for they are more forward now (in the middle of January) 
than they were last year in the latter end of March : This is 
owing to the fine autumn and mild winter, and the wood being 
so well ripened in the preceding summer. It is, however, 
very common with some to begin pruning soon after the fall 
of the leaf, before the wood becomes bard ; but if a frost sets 
in before the wood is hard, in particular after wet summers 
and autumns, it will be very much injured^ ; I have frequently 
seen it almost killed after autumnal pruning. We often have 
fine weather in the months of October, November, and Decem- 
ber, with sun and drying winds, which helps to ripen the wood 
after wet autumns. 

When the vine leaves begin to fall, remember always to 
take a soft broom and sweep them off upwards in a gentle man- 
ner, which will be of great service in assisting to harden the 
wood. 

When you begin to prune in Februaryf, ahvays make 
choice of the strongest and longest shoots, leaving them as long- 
as you find the eyes good and plump, and the wood round ; 
but by no means leave them when they become flat ; as in that 
ease they seldom bear fruit ; and if they do, it will be very 
small. I never lay in any that has less than fifteen, and from 
that to thirty good eyes, according to the strength of the shoot^ 
which will produce two bunches from every good eye. I have 
had seventy bunches of grapes from one shoot. The shoots 
that have borne fruit in the preceding year should be cut out 
next year, except when you want to fill the wall, and the shoots 
are very strong. You will always get plenty of fine healthy 
young wood if you are careful when you prune in the winter; 

* This is the case in a much greater degree in America, where the weather 
h so much more intense. Great attention should be paid to this part of the 
directions. 

t The reader will recur to what I have before said, respecting the ttason 
for pruning in America. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc. 81 



therefore never leave any but fine strong wood, always cutting 
at the second, third, or fourth eye ; remembering to rub the 
lowest bud off, and that which comes out at the joint between 
the new and last year's wood. By these means you will get as 
much fruit from these short shoots as you would have by the 
common way of pruning. You must always observe to leave 
two or three of the strongest shoots for next year's bearing 
wood, and never top them. If you have not room to train 
them, you may lead them over the tops of the other trees, if 
the vines are planted against pears; or you may run them be- 
hind the standards, if there be any, which is generally the case 
when the walls are high ; thus you will cover all the wall, which 
will have a very beautiful appearance when the fruit is ripe, 
besides furnishing a plentiful supply of fine grapes for the table. 
You may run the shoots over the top of the wall on the other 
side, provided the walls are low^. I also train them over the 
tops of trees on each side ; which never does any harm to the 
trees below, provided you keep them nailed to the wall. I have 
also planted vines between trees on North and East aspects, 
and trained them over the tops of the South and West walls to 
fill the upper parts, till the peaches and nectarines cover them. 
I then cut away part of the vines, leaving only as many shoots 
as I may think necessary. 

Two years ago I removed some old apricots that covered 
a wall about one hundred and sixty-five feet long, and planted 
them agaipst a new wall, leaving five vines that were planted 
against the piers. These five plants have, in the course of 
two years, covered the above wall from top to bottom, and 
bear plenty of fine grapes every year. I also moved an old 
vine on a wall near to the above, and cut it in pretty close ; it 
has in three years spread twenty-six yards, and bears very fine 
fruit. 

Against one of the piers had been planted a Black Ham- 
burgh Grape, and at the other side of the same pier was planted 
a Muscadine, at the distance of about two feet from each other; 
I pruned them both according to my method, and the second 
year after, they produced one thousand one hundred bunches 
of fine grapes. 

* I saw an instance of this in Kensington Gardens, where the vines hav- 
ing filled the side of the walls, on whic^i they were planted, had been trained, 
in the manner above descril)ed, over the other side of the wall, whence the 
fruit was hanging down in great absndance; and I understand it ripened very 
well, though to East and West aspects. In America grapes will ripen in al- 
most any aspect, provided the stem of tlie vine has an aspect towards and 
point between South East and South West. 



82 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



I also tried an experiment by taking some shoots from a 
South wall, opening the ground deep enough to lay them in 
across the foot path, at the distance of about four feet from the 
wall, and tied them to stakes, training them as espaliers^, 
laying in the wood as directed for walls, atid keeping them as 
low as possible, that they might not shade the bottom of the 
wall ; I also pruned them as I do those against walls, laying 
the shoots in very long, except those that were intended to 
bear fruit next year, from which I took off all the side shoots 
and runners against the wall and espaliers. In a favourable 
season these bear very hne fruit, better than what is got from 
the walls by the old method of pruningj. 

Always observe to use the composition as soon after prun- 
ing as possible. As the vine is very porous, it soon imbibes 
the wet and moisture, which brings it quickly to decay. 

If at any time a vine should be cut late in the season, it 
will be apt to bleed much ; in that case the powder must be ap- 
plied, repeating the application till the bleeding stopsj. 

I cut two strong vine-branches in the month of June and 
three more in July, in very hot weather, on purpose to try the 
elFect of the powder in stopping the bleeding. The sap rose so 
strong that it worked out at the top in a froth ; I applied the 
powder, which in a short time entirely stopped'it. 

I shall noxv give sorne Directions for the Watering of Vines. 

After the grapes are set and begin to swell, you may wa- 
ter them with the Barrow Engine, sprinkling them all over the 
leaves and fruit, pressing your fore-finger over the top of the 
pipe ; by doing this you can throw the water as fine as small 
rain, which will wash all the dust off the vines and leaves, 
that are frequently covered with it, especially if the garden be 
near a public road, as is the case at Kensington. You should 
also wash the insects off the trees. In fine weather I sprinkle 
all the wall-trees three times a week, which keeps them clear 

* An espalier is a tree, which is planted out in the open ground, and the 
branches of which are trained in a horizontal direction, and tied to stakes. 
These trees ax-e never suffered to grow more than four or five feet high. Such 
a system of training vines would do very well for Anierica. 

f The fruit would always ripen well on espaliers, in America, where there 
is no want of sun and heat, which are so much wanted in England, I am per- 
suaded that espalier vines would, were all the precautions taken, produce very 
well in any part of the Middle States. 

X In America the vines bleed much more copiously than in England. If, 
thei-efore, the pruning be done after the sap begins to rise, great attention 
should be paid to tht rules here laid down. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 83 



from insects, and promotes the swelling of the fruit ; but this 
operation must never be performed when the nights are cold 
and frosty. You should begin to sprinkle the trees when the 
sun is in an oblique direction, or gone olf the wall, which may be 
about four o'clock on a South aspect ; by doing it at this time, 
the leaves will have time to dry before night, and so prevent 
the frost, if there should be any in the night, from injuring 
them. In very hot and dry weather, give the trees a good bot- 
tom watering once a week, which will forward the swelling of 
the fruit. Vines require a great deal of watering ; but when 
the fruit is fully swelled, you should leave it off ; particularly 
when the nights begin to get cold, as it would hurt the flavour 
of the fruit. 

We shall say something in this place respecting the pre- 
servation of grapes from flies, wasps, and birds; but for more 
full directions on that head, see the chapter ' On Insects, &c.' 

As soon as the large fly makes its appearance, you must 
provide plenty of bottles a little more than half filled with some 
sweet liquor to entice the flies to enter them, where they will 
be drowned. You must hang the bottles on the nails at proper 
distances all over the vines, and also place some of them at the 
bottom of the walls. The blue fly comes much earlier than 
the wasp, and you will find it no less destructive to the fruit. 
It will therefore be necessary to hang up the bottles betimes, 
in order to destroy as many of them as possible before the 
wasp makes its appearance, and have the bottles ready for this 
second enemy. 

When the grapes begin to ripen, you will be troubled with 
other enemies; the birds will now begin to attack the fruit; 
it will then be necessary to bag some of your fine handsome 
bunches, but to bag them all would be an endless job, if you 
have a full crop and a large garden. I have had five men bag- 
ging for three weeks, and yet could not bag the half of what 
were on one wall. 

Where the bunches are very thick, the quickest way is to 
cover the trees with nets, or buntine (a kind of stuff" of which 
ships' colours are made), which will admit a free air to the 
grapes, and will dry soon after rain. They will also be a good 
covering for the trees in the spring, in cold, wet, or snowy 
weather. Always observe, that the bunches of grapes should 
be kept under the shade of the leaves till they begin to ripen ; 
then you may begin to pick off" the leaves which cover the fruit, 
(ieavmg those a little above it to be a shelter from the wet and 
frost in the nights ; this will assist the ripening of the fruit ; and 
take off only a few leaves at a time, according to the quantity 



84 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



of grapes to be gathered at once : By these means your fruit 
will continue three times as long in succession as it would if 
the leaves were picked off all at one time. 

I have often seen all the leaves taken off from the fruit 
soon after it was set, which prevents it from swelling, and the 
fruit will become hard and small, and v/ill generally crack. 

When the leaves are not too thick, they admit the rays of 
the sun to pass through, and a warm glow of heat will be re- 
flected from the wall*. 

You may find it convenient to let the grapes hang as long 
on the walls as you can : I have often let them hang till the 
middle of November, only covering them with nets or bun- 
tine. 

When the frost begins to set in sharp, you should then ga- 
ther the grapes. Where there are several bunches on one 
branch you may cut it off, leaving about six inches in length, 
or more, of the wood, according to the distance between the 
bunches, and a little on the outside of the fruit at each end ; 
seal both ends with some common sealing-wax, such as Wine 
Merchants use for sealing their bottles with, which you may 
buy at the Wax Chandler's ; then hang them across a line in a 
dry room, taking care to clip out, with a pair of scissars, any of 
the berries that begin to decay or become mouldy, which if 
left v/ould taint the others : In this way I have kept grapes till 
the 6th of February ; but, if they are cut before the bunches 
are too ripe, they may be kept much longer. 

Having plent)' of grapes in the winter makes a great ad- 
dition for the table ; and if properly kept, they will be of a much 
finer flavour than the Portugal grapes, which are generally at a 
very high price during the winter and spring. 

Grapes may also be kept by packing them in jars (every 
bunch being first v/rapped up in soft paper), and covering every 
layer with bran, which should be well dried before it is used, 
laying a little of it in the bottom of the jar; then a layer of 
grapes, and so on, a layer of bran and of grapes alternately, 
till you have filled the jar ; then shake it gently, and fill it to 
the top with bran, laying some paper over it, and covering the 
top with a bladder tied firmly on to exclude the air ; then put 
on the top or cover of the jar, observing that it fits as close as 
possible. These jars should be kept in a room where you can 
have a fire in wet or damp weather. 

* The leaves must never be picked off, in America, \Yhere the sun itself 
burns them up but too fast. 



( 85 ) 



CHAPTER IX. 



OF FIGS, 

Different Sorts described,,. .Of Raisings Pruning, Trainings 
and Sheltering Fig- Trees'^, 

The f ig has been cultivated in England ever since the year 
1762. Some of the oldest that we know of in this kingdom 
are in the Archbishop gf Canterbury's gardens at Lambeth. 

This genus of plants is arranged in the third order of Lin- 
naeus's twenty-third class, entitled Polygamia Tricecia. 

The folhwing are the Sorts best worth Cultivating in this 
Country. 

1. The Brown, or Chesnut-coloured Ischia Fig. This is 
one of the largest that we have : It is of a brown or chesnut co- 
lour on the outside, and purple within ; the grains are large, 
and the pulp sweet and high flavoured. It ripens in August ; 
and, if planted against a hot wall, two crops may be obtained 
annually. 

2. The Black Genoa Fig is a long fruit of a dark purple 
colour, the inside being of a bright red, and the flesh very high 
flavoured. It ripens in the latter end of August. 

3. I'he Small White Early Fig. The skin of this fruit is 
of a pale yellow when ripe ; the flesh is white and sweet. It 
is ripe about the latter end of August, or beginning of Sep- 
tember. 

4. The Large White Genoa Fig. This is a large fruit, 
the skin is thin and yellow when ripe, and red within. It is a 
good fruit, and is ripe about the latter end of August. This 
and the preceding bear two crops annually. 

5. The Black Ischia Fig is a middle-sized fruit ; the skin 
is almost black when ripe, and the inside of a deep red. The 

/ flesh is high flavoured, and the trees good bearers. 

* I have never seen any fig-trees in America ; but I have no doubt but, 
with the precautions here dictated, they would do very welL 

N 



86 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



6. The Brown and Black Small Italian Figs are cultivated 
in pots ; the fruit is small, round and very delicious. I have 
gathered from one plant, in a twenty-four pot, two dozen of 
figs at one gathering. 

7. The Malta Fig. This is a small brown fig ; the skin 
of a pale brown, the inside of the same colour ; the flesh is 
sweet and high flavoured. It is ripe in August and Septem- 
ber. 

8. The Murrey, or Brown Naples Fig, is a pretty large 
fruit of a light brown colour, and the inside nearly of the same 
colour ; the flesh is well flavoured ; and it ripens about the 
middle of September. 

9. The Green Ischia Fig is an oblong fruit with a green 
skin ; but being thin, is stained through of a brownish cast by 
the pulp when full ripe. The inside is purple, and the flesh 
high flavoured. It is ripe about the middle of September. 

10. The Madonna Fig, commonly called the Brunswick, 
or Hanover Fig, is a large pyramidal fruit ; the skin brown, 
the flesh a lighter brown, coarse, and has but little flavour. It 
ripens about the middle of September. 

11. The Common Blue or Purple Fig is a large oblong 
fruit, ripens in August, and is a good bearer. 

12. The Long Brown Naples Fig. The skin of this fruit 
is of a dark brown when ripe, the flesh inclining to red. It has 
large grains and a good flavour, and ripens about the beginni ng 
of October. 

13. The Small Brown Ischia Fig is a small pyramidal 
fruit ; the skin of a light brown ; the flesh of a purple cast, 
and of high flavour. It ripens in October. 

14. The Yellow Ischia Fig is a large fruit, the skin yel- 
low, and the flesh purple and well flavoured. It ripens in Oc- 
tober. 

15. The Gentile Fig is of a middle size, roundish fruit, 
the skin yellow, and the flesh inclining to the same colour. 
It has large grains, and a good flavour ; ripens very late, and 
the trees are but indiff"erent bearers. 

There are also the following : 

Best Early White, Large Blue, 

Black Provence, Marseilles, 

Cyprian, Milward, 

Ford's Seedling, Small Black Ischia, 

Green Naples, White Ischia, 

Large Black, Yellow Csesar, 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he, 87 



Figs proper for a small Garden. 

The Large White Genoa ; Early White; Murrey Fig; 
Small Brown Ischia, and the Black Ischia. 

In a good season, the Brown or Chesnut-coloured Ischia, 
the Black Genoa the Small A\Tiite Early, the Murrey or Brown 
Naples, and the Common Blue, or Purple Fig, will ripen on 
standards. 

Figs are raised from suckers, layers, or cuttings, and will 
thrive in almost any soil, but do not like a wet bottom ; they 
generally produce more fruit on a strong loamy soil than on a 
dry one. Layers, or cuttings, are preferable to suckers, 

Observationsy £ffc. on Pruning Figs. 

They should never be pruned in autumn or during the 
winter : the best time is at the latter end of April or beginning 
of May ; by that time you will see what shoots have been kil- 
led by the frost in winter. The end of those branches more 
particularly will be hurt where the wood has not ripened well 
in autumn : They should be cut into the sound wood, and as 
near to an eve as possible. When the branches have been suf- 
fered to run up leaving the bottom quite naked, you should 
cut out every other branch as near to the ground as you can, 
which will furnish the wall with fine young wood ; observing 
to stop the ends of the shoots in the beginning of June ; this 
will cause them to throw out side shoots which will bear fruit 
the next summer. By that time you will have plenty of fine 
wood; you may then cut down the rest of the old branches 
that were left the preceding year, observing to prune them about 
the same time as you pruned last year : Always remember to 
pinch off the ends of the strongest shoots, except the leading 
ones, at the top bud. 

When you prune in the spring, never shorten the shoots, 
as the fruit is produced near the tops. There will be a great 
many fine short side and fore-right shoots which should never 
be cut off but when they are decayed. These shoots will ripen 
much better than the long strong ones, and will not be so liable 
to be k'lled bv the frost in winter. By following this method, 
you wil have the trees covered with fruit from the top to the 
bottom of the walls, instead of having a few fruit only at the 
top, which is the case when the common method of pruning is 
practised. 

When the figs are about the size of small nutmegs, you 
should pinch off the point of the top bud with your finger and 
thumb, or cut it with a sharp pen-knife ; and always remem- 
ber to use the powder, wherever you cut or pinch, to stop the 



88 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



oozing of the milk, which, if suffered, would greatly exhaust 
and injure the trees. 

Take care not to lay in the branches too thick ; they 
should be from a foot to eighteen inches distant. ^ 

The trees must be covered in the beginning of winter 
before the frost sets in, otherwise the ends of the shoots will 
be hurt by the first sharp frost, before the wood is ripened and 
hardened, which will oblige you to cut them as before. When 
fig-trees are very much injured in hard winters, the best way 
will be to cut as near the ground as possible ; and the second 
year you may get them into a fine bearing state, if you man- 
age them as above directed. 

I shall now give some directions as to the best method of 
covering them. 

I generally cover them with bentings, or short grass, 
from the pleasure ground ; which I find answers the purpose 
very well: After it is thoroughly dry, it may be put in a cock, 
covering it with straw to prevent the rain from penetrating in- 
to it, which will cause it to heat and rot ; or it may be put into 
one of the sheds. If you cannot procure grass, get some dry 
moss. First cover the trees with laurel, yew, fir, or spruce 
boughs, and then tuck in the short grass or moss among the 
branches, beginning at the top of the tree, tucking in the 
grass, &c. as you descend, till you come to the bottom. Fern 
when well dried, makes an excellent covering. You may 
thatch the tree on the outside with the long leaves of the 
common fern ; when you can get these, there will be no occa- 
sion for short grass. Fern, when it can be procured, which 
it may in most country places, will be found preferable to 
laurel. 

Figs may also be sheltered in winter by wrapping hay or 
straw-bands round the branches of the trees ; then open the 
ground, lay in the branches, and cover them over with mould 
about nine inches deep, leaving the ends of the shoots about 
three inches out of the ground, and covering the ground over 
with some rotten leaves, or old tan, &c. to keep out the 
frost : You may also cover the roots of the trees in the same 
manner. 

If the walls are low, and the borders broad, you may 
bring all the branches front ways ; but when the walls are high 
you can only bring the side branches forward in the above 
manner. 

Some cover with reeds and straw ; the latter I by no 
means approve of, as it is very apt to harbour rats and mice on 
account of some of the grain being left in it. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 89 



Be careful to observe, when you put on the grass, that 
no mice, &c. have got amongst it ; and examine during the 
winter that no rats or mice get among the branches of the trees 
that are covered against the walls ; if they do, they will infal- 
libly bark the branches, and in that case you will be under the 
necessity of heading the trees down. 

I would recommend setting traps, such as shall be de- 
scribed hereafter, near the roots of the trees, as soon as they 
are covered. 

Take care not to uncover the figs too soon in the spring ; 
and it should be done partially, as frequently there are frosts 
and cutting winds in the months of April and May, which 
will infallibly kill the young fruit as they make their appear- 
ance in the spring. 

Those branches which have been laid into the ground 
should be taken up in the month of April, taking off the hay 
and straw-bands, and then nailed to the wall. Stick in 
among the branches some fern-leaves, or any other light 
covering, to protect them from the drying winds and frosts, 
till the fruit comes to the size of a large walnut, or rather till 
the leaves are sufficiently large to protect the fruit. 

The Italians, when they wish to forward the ripening of 
figs, drop in a little sweet oil, from a quill, into the eye of the 
fruit ; but care must be taken not to hurt the skin, which would 
make the fig burst. This will make a difference at least of a 
fortnight in the ripening. 

As soon as the leaves begin to fall, brush them off with a 
broom, but by no means till they will come off easily. If they 
are forced off before they begin to wither and decay, the trees 
will bleed at the foot-stalks. At the same time you should 
clear the stalks of the small late fruit, which, if suffered to 
remain during the winter, will rot, and injure the tree so as to 
prevent it from bearing the ensuing summer. If you observe 
any milk oozing from the foot-stalks, use a little of the compo- 
sition, which will stop it and heal the injured part. By doing 
this, you will assist the ripening and hardening of the wood 
before the winter frosts set in. 

When you plant fig-trees, let them be from twenty to 
twenty-four feet apart, and train them horizontally, which 
will render them much more fruitful than when they are 
trained upright, which causes them to run up in long naked 
wood. 

Observe also to leave spurs, or short shoots, all over the 
branches ; and when the buds begin to swell, all the short 
shoots should be pinched, as before directed. 



90 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



As the branches of standard fig-trees are very liable to be 
killed in severe winters, it will be necessary to lay them also 
in the ground, wrapping them up in hay or straw-bands, as 
before directed for wall-trees. It will be sometimes imprac- 
ticable to lay down the middle branches ; they must, therefore, 
be well covered with hay or straw-bands, and the outside ones 
laid down, going regularly round the tree, and taking particu- 
lar care not to hurt them with the spade j then mulch them 
with rotten leaves, &c. 

After hard winters, I have frequently been obliged to cut 
fig-trees down very near to the ground, and apply the compo- 
sition: In the course of two years the new wood has covered 
over the old stump, and the branches filled up the former space, 
bearing also plenty oi' fine fruit. t 

In a plentiful year, when there are more than you want 
for the supply of the table, the remainder may be dried for 
winter use. 



(91 ) 



CHAPTER X. 



OF QUINCES. 

The best Sort for the Kitchen Garden».**Of their Propagation^ 
Plantings and Pruning, „*0f Bark-bound Trees ^ and of those 
which have rough Bark. 

TThE Quince is called Cydonia, from Cydon, a town of 
Crete, famous for this fruit. 

It belongs to the fourth order of the twelfth class of the 
Sexual System, Icosandria Pentagynia. Linnseus has joined 
it to the apple and pear. 

This is a very beautiful tree when in flower, and when 
the fruit is ripe in autumn. It was cultivated in this country 
in Gerard's time. 

The best sort for planting in the kitchen garden is the 
Portugal, being the fittest for baking or stewing. It is of a 
fine purple colour when dressed, and is much better for Mar- 
malade than any of the other sorts. The oblong kind, and the 
Apple Quince, are also planted in fruit-gardens ; and there 
are several other sorts cultivated in the nurseries about town, 
and planted in shrubberies for variety and ornament. The 
Portugal sort is very useful to mix with apples for making pies 
and puddings ; for when the apples are flat, and have lost their 
flavour, they add a quickness to them. 

Of the Propagation and Pruning of ^ince Trees, 

They are easily raised by layers, or by cuttings taken from 
the tree in March (April for America). They should be 
planted in a shady place, in rows at about a foot distance from 
each other, and about three inches from plant to plant in the 
rows. Mulch them with rotten leaves, or rotten dung, which 
will keep the ground about them moist ; and water them fre- 
quently in hot weather. About Michaelmas those that are 
well rooted may be planted out, and those that are not should 
remain another year. They may also be propagated by bud- 
ding or grafting ; and these trees will bear sooner, and be more 
fruitful, than those raised by any other method. 



I. 



92 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



The Quince-tree may be pruned much in the same way as 
you would prune an apple-tree, taking care to cut out all the 
old deceased and dead wood, and the cross branches in the 
middle of the tree, which are apt to injure each other by fric- 
tion. In general you will find old trees much hurt by inju* 
dicious pruning: In that case you must head them down, cut 
out all the cankery parts, and also all the deceased and dead 
wood where the tree is hollow, or where large branches have 
been cut or broken off, applying the composition as for apple- 
trees. 

Quince»trees are very apt to have rough bark, and to be 
bark-bound : In that case, it will be necessary to shave off the 
rough bark with a draw-knife, and to scarify them when bark- 
bound ; then brush them over with the composition, as here- 
after directed. 

I would however, advise to plant quince-trees at a proper 
dktance from apples and pears, as bees and the wind might 
mix the Farina, and occasion the apples or pears to degenerate. 



( ) 



CHAPTER XI. 



OF MEDLARS. 

Different Sorts,,,, Their Propagation and Manner of 
Treatment, 

TThE Medlar is ranged in tlie fourth order of Linnaeus's 
twelfth class. Icosandria Pentagynia 

The Different Sorts cultivated in this Country are^ 

The Great Medlar with bay leaves, and the Dutch Median 
These, being the largest fruit, are generally cultivated in Eng- 
land. There is a smaller sort, which is a variety of that called 
the German or Dutch Medlar; the fruit is small j and the tree 
is more frequently planted in pleasure grounds than gardens. 

The oriental sort, according to Mr. Philip Miller, is called 
the Dwarf Cherry of Mount Ida, in Crete, where the shep- 
herds feed upon the fruit. It is large, roundish, and of a fine 
red colour when ripe. 

There are several species now growing in the gardens of 
this country, that has been (introduced from North America, 
which are very ornamental in pleasure grounds and parks, and 
to whose fruit the deer and birds are very partial. 

They are raised from seed, or by grafting ; those who 
wish to keep the sorts true, should propagate them by grafting 
on their own stocks. 

The Medlar requires much the same sort of treatment as 
the quince-tree. Cut out all the dead and cankery wood ; and, 
when they begin to get stunted, head them down, and applj^ the 
composition, as directed for apple-trees. 

Medlars should hang upon the tree till they begin to rot, 
as those who are fond of this fruit never eat it till the pulp is 
quite soft. It may be proper to observe here, that those who 
wish to have their medlars large and fine, must keep the tree 
thin of wood. 

As many people are fond of the fruit of the medlar, I 
would recommend planting some trees of the large Dutch sort 



94 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE &c. 



in the kitchen garden ; the other sorts may be planted in plea- 
sure grounds and parks. 

There is a sort called the Nottingham Medlar, which is 
very much esteemed by some for its sharp and poignant taste. 

Medlars, as well as quinces, should be planted at a proper 
distance from apple and pear-trees. 



( 95 ) 



CHAPTER XII. 



OF GOOSEBERRIES. 



Different Sorts of Gooseberries ; and the Weight of many large 

new ones from Manchester The Propagation^ Plantings 

and Pruning of Gooseberries»,,»A Method of Destroying Cat- 
erpillars. 

The Gooseberry and Currant are ranged by Linnaeus in the 
first order of his fifth class, Pentandria Monogynia. 

The Gooseberries common in this Country are, 

Green Gascoin, Hairy and Smooth Red, 

Smooth Green, Large Smooth Yellow, 

Early Black, Large Rough Yellow, 

Small Early Red, Common and Large White, 

Large Smooth Dutch Yellow, Champaigne. 

A List of the largest new Sorts shown in Lancashire last Summer 
(1800), with their Colour and Weighty communicated by 

Manchester, 

dw. gr. 



3fessrs. M^Niven^ Nurserymen. 



Red Gooseberries. dw. gr. 

Alcock's King-, 16 15 

Duke of York, - - - 16 1 

Boardman's Royal Oak, - - - - 15 4 

Brundrit's Atlas, 17 1 

Chapman's Peerless, ----- 15 21 

Dien's Glory of England, - - - 16 2 

Fairlow's Lord Hood, 14 5 

Fisher's Conqueror, 17 19 

Fox's Jolly Smoker, 15 8 

Hall's Porcupine, 13 20 

Lomax's Victory, - -- -- -- 16 11 

Mason's Hercules, 13 16 

Taylor's Volunteer, 16 17 

Worthington's Glory of Eccles, 14 10 
Tellow Gooseberries. 

Brundrit's Sir Sidney, 15 22 

Davenport's Defender, - - - - 15 12 

Creeping Ceres, - 16 

Hamnet's Kilton, 15 9 

Hill's Golden Gourd, 13 17 

Royal Sovereign, - ■ - - 17 10 

Leigh's Prince of Orange, - - 15 

Parkinson's Goldfinder, - - - - 14 5 
October 27, 1800. 



Robinson's Crudus, 13 

Withington's Sceptre, 13 

Green Gooseberries. 

Blakeley's Chissel, 17 

Boardman's Green Oak, 14 

Brundrit's Tickle Toby, 14 

Chadwick's Hero, 13 

Dean's Lord Hood, 15 

Mill's Langley Green, 16 

Read's Satisfaction, 15 

Robinson's Stump, 13 

Smith's Green Mask, 13 



17 
7 


1 

6 
10 
10 

2 
4 
21 
20 

Yates's Duke of Bedford, 14 11 

White Gooseberries. 

Adams's Snow Ball, 12 22 

Atkinson's White Hall, 14 8 

Chapman's Highland White,- - 12 

Davenport's Lady, 15 

Gibson's Apollo,' 14 20 

Holding's White Muslin,- - - - 13 

Kenyon's White Noble, 13 6 

Moor's White Bear, 14 19 

Woodward's White Smith, - - 17 2 



96 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 

In favourable seasons, many of the sorts in the foregoing 
list have been known to weigh more by several penny-weights. 

The following List is taken from the Catalogue of 3Iessrs,Kirk, 
Nurserymen^ at Bromptony near London, 



Supreme Red, 

Perfection Red, 

High Sheriff of Lancashire, 

Royal George, 

Unicorn, 

Rough Amber, 

White Walnut, 

Ackerley^s Double Bearer, 

Royal Oak, 

Miss Bold's, 

Sparkler, 

Ackerley's Rodney, 
Hampson's Caesar, 
Monk's Charles Fox, 
St. John, 
Pigeon Egg, 

Worthinglowe's Conqueror, 



Golden Eagle, 
Royder's Triumph, 
Williamson's Yellow Hornet, 
Svvingham, 

Jackson's Golden Orange, 
Goliah Champion, 
Warrington Red, 
Golden Drop, 

Costerdiner Goliah Champion^ 
Hairy Amber, 
2'sixon's Golden Eagle, 
Worthington's White Lilly, 
Laylord's Seedling, 
Nixon's White Heart, 
Riding's Old England, 
Bakeley's Swingham, 
Tillotson's St. John. 



On the Cidtivatiori oV. of Gooseberries^ 

Gooseberries are raised from cuttings, or from seed, and 
some raise them from suckers ; but this last is not a good way, 
as bushes raised in this manner are more liable to throw out 
suckers than those which are raised from cuttings or seed. 

The best time for planting cuttings is about INIichaelmas, 
always cutting them from the strongest and cleanest shoots. 
The length of the cuttings should be from six to eight inches, 
planting them to an East or North aspect, at the distance of one 
foot from row to row, leaving them about three inches above 
ground. By planting at this distance, you will be able to hoe 
and keep them clear of weeds. Water them frequently in dry 
weather during the spring. 

The Methods of Planting Gooseberries are i-arious. 

The Market-Gardeners about London plant them in rows 
from eight to ten feet apart from row to row, and six feet from 
plant to plant in the rows. In that case, I advise pruning them 
in the beginning of October, and the ground between may be 
planted with Coleworts or Beans for a spring crop ; by so doing. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he. 97 



there will be no occasion to tread over the ground and hurt 
the coleworts in pruning the bushes ; for, before the goose- 
berries begin to shoot, the coleworts will be all cleared off 
the ground. 

After this time (or before if you find it convenient) lay a 
good coat of rotten dung on the ground ; then dig it and plant 
early potatoes ; but not so near to the gooseberries as to hurt 
them. 

The roots of gooseberries should always be kept clear to 
admit the sun and air. In small gardens I would recommend 
planting them in a quarter by themselves, at the distance of six 
feet between the rows, and four feet from plant to plant ; or 
you may plant them round the edges of the quarters, about 
three feet from the path ; you will then have the ground clear 
for cropping, and a man, by setting one foot on the border, can 
gather the gooseberries without injuring the crop. 

As gooseberries love a rich soil, they should be dunged 
every year, or at least have a good coat of dung once in two 
years. 

Never plant them under the shade of other trees, as it will 
injure the flavour of the fruit. 

Of Pruning Gooseberry-Bushes. 

It is a practice too common in pruning gooseberries, to 
let them branch out with great naked stems, suffering them 
to remain in that state for years. When that is already the 
case, they should be cut down near to the ground in the winter 
pruning; this will make them throw out fine strong healthy 
shoots which will bear fruit the second year. Gooseberry- 
bushes, in general, bear their fruit on the second year's wood. 
Care should be taken in summer to keep the middle of the 
bush clear to admit a free air into them ; leaving the finest 
and strongest shoots from six to ten inches distant from each 
other. This will help to ripen and harden the wood. It is a 
practice with some to shorten the shoots in the autumn or win- 
ter pruning ; This should be always near to a wood-bud ; 
which may be known by its being single, whereas fruit-buds 
are in clusters. The shoots may be shortened to eight or ten 
inches, according to their strength. Some leave them at full 
length for three or four years, thinning out those that are su- 
perfluous. Always leave a proper number to be trained up 
between the full length shoots, to succeed them when they 
are tired of bearing ; then cut the old ones down to the 
young ones that are to succeed them. By these means 5 ou 
will always keep the bushes in a constant state of bearing. 



98 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



You may observe, that those branches which were cut the 
first year, will in the second throw out short dugs, or spurs, 
which produce the fruit ; and these should b}^ no means be cut 
off, unless the branches are in a sickly state, and require to 
be cut close down (as is the case this year, 1800), when the 
bushes are overloaded with fruit. It will then be necessary to 
cut oat a good deal of the old wood, to assist nature to recover 
herself after producing so great a quantity of fruit. This year 
the bushes are so loaded that the branches are bent down to 
the ground. 

Gooseberries are well worth paying attention to, as they 
supply the table so amply till the other fruits come in. 

There have been considerable additions made to them, of 
late years, from the great attention that has been paid, by the 
Gardeners and others of Manchester audits neighbourhood, to 
raising gooseberries from seed*. 

Their catalogues now contain between four and five hun- 
dred sorts or varieties ; but some are so near each other 
as hardly to be distinguished. By mixing up a rich soil to 
plant those in which have been raised from seed, and by 'wa- 
tering, shading, and thinning the fruit, they have grovfn to a 
size much larger than any that had ever been seen in this 
country. They have made it their principal study to improve 
this valuable fruit, and have given great encouragement, by 
establishing societies for distributing prizes annually to those 
who raise the largest and finest new sorts. But it must be al- 
lowed, that some of the largest are much thicker in the skin, 
and not so well flavoured as some of the old sorts. 

I enquired of Messrs. M'Niven, Nurserymen at Manches- 
ter, how many good and distinct sorts they could send me out 
of their numerous catalogue ; they told me, that they could 
send about eighteen or twenty sorts, which they could answer 
for being good and distinct. I accordingly gave an order, and 
received all the sorts that they could warrant good, which turn- 
ed out to my satisfaction. 

Great attention should be paid to the cultivation of the 
early and late sorts. In some old gardens, in particular, there 
are very valuable sorts that have been of late too much neg- 

* Such is the success of these unweai-ied endeavours, thnt it is now no 
uncommon thing to see gooseberries as large as pullets' eggs. It is very 
rare to see any of this fruit in America, where the sun is, indeed, rather 
too hot for them ; but I have seen very tolerable gooseberries from the 
garden of Mr. Clifton in Philadelphia, and I am certain, that if the mode of 
cultivation here laid down were well attended to, and good sets got from 
England, great plenty of this valuable fruit might be raised in all the Mid- 
dle and Eastern States. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 99 



lected : I would therefore recommend to those who live in 
the neighbourhood of such gardens, to observe their time of 
ripening, and to cultivate those especially v/hich are early and 
late. 

It is a practice with some to clip the tops of gooseberries 
with a pair of garden shears, as they would clip a thorn hedge ; 
this I by no means approve of, as the fruit will not be half the 
size, nor of so fine a flavour, as when the bushes are kept 
clear of superfluous wood. 

Care should be taken in spring and summer to stock, or 
grub up, all the suckers from the roots of the bushes, leaving 
their stems clear and unencumbered. 

Many of the Lancashire sorts are apt to grow horizontal- 
ly, and the branches frequently trail on the ground, which 
renders them liable to be broken by high winds, especially 
when they are loaded with fruit. In that case I would recom= 
mend two or three hoops to be put round them, to which the 
branches may be tied, to support them, and prevent their being 
broken by the wind . 

Those who wish to have their gooseberries very late 
should plant on North walls and palings, between the other 
trees, and they may be removed when the trees begin to 
meet. If laid in thin, they will bear very fine and handsome 
fruit. I would advise to plant the finest late sorts ; as by this 
method the table will be supplied much longer than by the 
common custom of planting in quarters. 

Immediately after pruning, I always apply the composi- 
tion to the ends of the shoots and cuttings ; and I find it of great 
use in preventing the exhalation of the sap, and preserving 
the cuttings till they take root. 

Gooseberries are very much infested with a small 
green caterpillar, which frequently devours both leaves and 
fruit. 

You must, therefore, be very attentive, and observe their 
first appearance on the bushes ; for, if not destroyed early, 
they will increase so fast, that they will soon devour all the 
leaves, and the fruit will then be good for nothing. They 
make their first appearance generally on the edges and under- 
sides of the leaves. 

Take some sifted quick-lime and lay it under the bushes ; 
but do not at first let any of it touch the branches or 
leaves ; then shake each bush suddenly and smartly, and 
the caterpillars will fall into the lime ; if the bush be not 
shaken suddenly, the caterpillars, on being a little disturb- 
(ed, will take so firm a hold as not easily to be shaken off. 



LOf a 



100 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE &c. 



After this is done, sift some of the lime over the bushes ; 
this will drive down those which may have lodged on the 
branches. The caterpillars ought to be swept up next day, 
and the bushes well washed with clear lime-water mixed 
with urine ; this will destroy any caterpillars that may still 
remain, and also the Aphides, if there are any on the bushes. 



( 101 ) 



CHAPTEll XIII, 



OF CURRANTS*, 

JOiffererd Sorts of Currants.,,, Propagation, Planting, and Prun- 
ing of them,, How to Preserve them from Insects, 

Currants, with Gooseberries, are arranged by Lin- 
naeus in the first order of his fifth class, Pentandria Mono- 
gynia. 

The sorts most commonly cultivated in this country are, 
the Red and White Dutch Currants, and the Common Black, 
and American Black Currants. 

The following Sorts are also cultivated by the Nurserymen about 
Toxvn, and in other parts of England, viz. 



Common Red, 
Champagne Large Pale and 
Red, 

Fine New White Dutch, 



Long-bunched Red, 
Striped-leaved Red, 
White Crystal, 
Large Pale and Red Dutch, 



The currant is the most useful of all the small fruit, either 
for the table and kitchen, or for preserving, making wine, &c, 
and continues longer in succession than any other. With pro- 
per management, currants will continue in use from June to 
November. Black Currants are very much esteemed by some ; 
yet they are seldom sent to the table, but are very useful for 
making jelly, frequently taken for sore throats, colds, ^q.,-\ 

* There are plenty of currants in America ; but for want of attention to 
the mode of management, here laid down, they ar-e greatly inferior both in 
size and flavour to the same sort of fruit in England. 

f In Ireland, Black Currants are frequently steeped in whiskey, of which 
they make punch, and recommend it as a good medicine for coughs and colds. 
1 once had two gallons of it sent me by a friend for that purpose ; some of it 
was taken in a glass of warm water by a person who was very much afflicted 
with a severe cough, and thought to be in a decline, which effected a perfect 
cure in three or four nights. 

The currants, for this purpose, should be bruised and put in a jar, and the 
•whiskey poured over them : Let it stand for a week or fortnight, covering i^ 



102 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



On the Propagation of CiirranU. 

Currants may be raised from seed, layers, &c. When the 
trees are cut low, you may lay down some of the branches 
either in winter or spring, when the ground in the quarters or 
rows is dug, which should always be done annually. In the 
autumn following, these layers will have made fine roots ; you 
may then plant them out where you wish them to stand, and 
they will bear fine fruit in the following summer. 

Currants may also be propagated by cuttings, as goQseber° 
ries ; always remembering to make choice of the strongest and 
straightest shoots. 

Under the bushes that have been covered for late fruit, 
you will always find plenty of self-sown plants, which I would 
advise you to plant out by themselves. Those who make cur- 
rant-wine may save the seed, after the fruit is squeezed, and 
dry it : It may then be sown in autumn, or early in the spring, 
on a bed of fine light earth ; by which you will, most probably, 
obtain some fine varieties. By no means propagate them from 
suckers, as they never grow handsome, and are very liable to 
throw out a great many suckers. 

In raanv gardens there still remains a small sort of red and 
white currant not worth cultivating ; I would therefore advise 
those who have any of them in their gardens to root them up, 
and plant in their room, the Large Red and White Dutch, 
the Long-bunched Red, and Champagne Large Pale Red..... 
Currants may be planted out in the same manner as gooseber- 
ries, eidier in quarters or single rows round the edges of 
quarters. 

I would particularly recommend planting a fev/ against a 
South or West wall, or paling, v/hich will produce fruit much 
earlier than in the open ground. Also to plant some between 
other fruit-trees on North walls, or palings, for latter crops ; 
these may be covered with double nets, to preserve them from 
birds ; tucking in a few fern branches between the two nets, 
v/hich will prevent the heat of the sun and drying winds from 
shrivelling tlse fruit. In open ground they should be covered 
with mats for the same purpose ; at the same time permitting 
all the leaves to remain on the bushes, to shade the fruit and 
make it keep the longer. 

close down ; then strain it thrcnigh a fine cloth o\- sieve, and put it in bottles 
or casks for use. Currants may be used in this manner with brandy, gin, or 
any other spirits. They may also be preserved as cherries, and sent up to 
table. 

W. FORSYTII. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 103 



Pruning of Currant-Bushes. 

The pruning of currants is nearly similar to that of goose- 
berries. You may begin in the month of November, and con- 
tinue till March, as it suits your convenience. 

Currants should never be left too thick of Vi^ood ; and a 
gteat deal depends on the management of them in summer, to 
have strong and fine wood for the follovi^ing season. If they 
have been neglected for some ytars, and suffered to run up to 
long naked wood, they must be cut down near the ground ; 
they will then set forth fine strong shoots. In this case, I would 
recommend heading down every other tree, and Cutting the 
others partially, by taking out every other branch as near as 
can be to the ground, unless they are trained up with single 
stems, in which case it will be necessar)^ to cut then'i as near 
as possible to where the branches begin to break out and form 
the head* 

In the winter pruning, (in America, this may be done any 
time between November and the middle of April) you must 
preserve the strongest and finest shoots, leaving them from 
nine to eighteen inches long, according to their strength, and 
from eight to ten inches apart, and as regular as possible from 
top to bottom of the tree ; taking care to cut out all the dead 
and weak shoots. Pay particular attention in summer, and 
keep the middle of the bush open to admit the sun and air ; 
preserving the finest and strongest shoots that are nearest the 
Stem. Some are fond of training- them up with single stems, 
to a considerable height, to form fine round heads, w^hich are 
very ornamental, if not suffered to run up too high ; as in that 
case they are liable to be broken by the wind, if not well sup- 
ported by stakes. Care must be taken not to let the shoots run 
to more than six inches long ; because such short shoots will 
not be so liable to be damaged by the wind as long and weak 
ones are, especially when loaded with fruit. I prefer dwarfs 
from three to four feet high. 

The same manner of pruning &c. will do for Black Cur- 
rants ; but, as they grow stronger than the Red or White, the 
shoots should be left thinner, and laid in longer, which will 
make them produce larger and finer fruit. 

Those against walls and palings should have the shoots 
laid in thinner than those in the quarters, and trained as hori- 
zontally as possible, shortening them in the winter pruning, 
to a foot or eighteen inches, according to the strength of the 
shoots. 

As currants are very liable to be devoured by ear-wngs, 
which take shelter under their leaves and branches, bundles of 



104 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 



bean-stalks should be hung up some time before the bushes are 
covered with mats or nets. If proper attention be not paid to 
this, the fruit will generally suiFer very much from these insects. 
After the bushes are covered, take the mats oif once in three 
or four days, and kill the ear-wigs that have got into the bean- 
stalks, which it will be necessary still to keep hung up. As 
there is a sweetness in the inside of bean-stalks, which attracts 
the ear-wigs they very readily take shelter in them from rain. 

By paying proper attention to the foregoing directions, 
you will be able to keep these destructive insects under, and pre- 
serve the greater part of the fruit. 

Be particularly careful to pull up all suckers at the roots 
of the trees, and keep them as clean as possible ; otherwise 
the suckers will prevent the sun and air from penetrating to the 
roots, and greatly weaken the trees. 

What has been said above will, I hope, be sufficient to di- 
rect those who are fond of cultivating this valuable and useful 
fruit. 

Currants are very liable to be infested with aphides and 
other insects, which shall be taken notice of in another place. 



( 105 ) 



CHAPTER XIV. 



OF RASPBERRIES. 

Different Sorts of Raspberries ; and of Propagating^ Plantings 
Watering^ Staking and Pruning them. 

Raspberries are a very useful fruit for the table ; for 
preserving, for making of jam, sauce, &c. and continue along 
time in bearing. 

The Raspberry belongs to the fifth order of Linnseus's 
twelfth class, Icosandria Polygynia, and is a native of Eng- 
land. 

The folloxving are the Sorts cultivated in this Country, 

Early White, Large Red Antwerp, 

Double-bearing White, Large White Antwerp, 

Large Common White, Smooth Cane Double-bearing, 

Large Red, Woodward's New Raspberry^ 

Of Propagating^ Plantings and Pruning Raspberries* 

Raspberries are raised from suckers and layers. 

They should be planted in a piece of ground by themselves, 
and (except the Early White) at the distance of about six feet 
from row to row, and four feet in the rows. 

The ground should first be well trenched and dunged, be- 
fore the raspberries are planted. Make choice of the strongest 
and finest plants that come out from the sides of the stools, 
where they have been standing for some years j or encourage 
the strongest plants that come out betwixt the rows after dig- 
ging, which should be done annually. In digging the ground, 
you will frequently happen to cut the roots with a spade, which 
will occasion a great number of small plants to come up ; of 
these select the strongest and finest, and hoe up all the super- 
fluous ones. But I prefer laying down some of the strongest 
outside shoots in the month of March ; as by the following 
autumn they will make fine roots, and may be planted out in 
a quarter or piece of ground where you intend them to remain. 



1C6 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



These will not be so liable to throw out suckers as those which 
are produced from suckers. 

When you plant out fresh pieces of raspberries, it should 
be done in moist weather, as the roots are very delicate, and 
liable to be hurt when exposed to a dry air. If, howev^er, they 
are planted in dry weather, take care to moisten the roots with 
water, and cover them with wet litter, or leaves, during the 
time of planting. 

In planting, open a trench with the spade along the line 
where the suckers or layers are to be planted ; cut off all the 
small fibry roots with a knife, leaving only the stronger roots ;. 
put them into the trench, and cover them with some earth ; 
then water them well, and throw the remainder of the earth over 
them, letting them remain till you have finished planting the 
piece ; then, where you first began to plant, begin and tread the 
ground with your foot as hard as you can along each of the 
trenches, and in the same direction as you planted : Then with 
a spade level all the ground smooth, and run it over with a 
rake, taking off any stones and rubbish that may be left on the 
surface. 

In dry weather, the plants should be watered two or three 
times a week till they have taken root. It will be necessary to 
stake the Antwerp, and other strong- growing sorts, with stout 
stakes ; then run a couple of small rails at the top, to tie the 
branches to ; which will prevent their being broken by the wind, 
or beaten down by the rain. The Early White and smaller 
sorts may be plaited together at top, tying them round with the 
small yellow willow, which will keep them together. Some 
of the early raspberries may be planted between the trees on 
a West aspect, to produce early fruit before those in the open 
ground come in. The Antwerp will thrive exceedingly well 
against North walls or palings, and will produce late crops« 
Such as are planted against walls or palings should be tacked 
to them. 

Where you find any of the Small Red and White Rasp- 
berries, destroy them, and plant the following sorts in their 
room, viz. the Large Red, the Smooth Cane Double-bearing, 
the Large Red and White Antwerps, the Large Common 
White, the Double-bearing White, and Woodward's New 
Raspberry. 

Some prefer pruning raspberries in autumn, a practice of 
which I by no means approve. As they bear the fruit on the 
wood of the preceding year, they are very liable to be killed 
by the frost in severe winters ; but, by deferring the pruning 
till the month of February (March, for America,) you will 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 107 



have great choice cf fine v/ood for bearing the following sum- 
mer ; remembering to root out, or cut down all the wood that 
bore fruit the preceding year, which generally dies ; selecting 
only from five to seven of the most vigorous and strong shoots 
from the last year's wood, to bear fruit the ensuing season. 
These shoots may be pruned to the length of three or four 
feet according to their strength, if they are of the Smooth 
Cane Double-bearing sort (which generally bears a second crop 
in autumn, and will in fine seasons continue bearing from June 
to November) ; but, if the Large Antwerp, the shoots should be 
left five or six feet long. 

The Early White, which never grows so strong as the 
above sorts, should be shortened to two feet and a half, or three 
feetc These should be planted in rows about three feet dis- 
tant from each other, and two feet from plant to plant in the 
rows ; always remembering to keep them clear of suckers, and 
to cut out the dead, or last year's wood, as before directed ; 
niaking choice of the strongest shoots for bearing-wood. But 
be careful not to cut off the little spurs on the sides, which 
bear the fruit. 

Raspberries will continue in bearing five or six years ; bv 
which time you should have a fresh plantation to succeed 
them. The young; plants will bear some fruit the first year, 
and come into full bearing the second year after planting. If 
they be suffered to remain more than five or six years on the 
same ground, they will degenerate and bear small fruit. Care 
should be taken not to leave above eight or ten of the strong- 
est shoots, rubbing off or pulling up all the superfluous ones ; 
and to keep the ground well hoed and clear of weeds between 
th? rows. 



( 108 ) 



CHAPTER XV, 



OF BARBERRIES. 

The Different Sorts ^ and their Culture^ 

The Barberry is useful for preserving and pickling, and 
for garnishing of dishes ; the trees also have a fine effect in 
shrubberies and pleasure grounds, being beautiful flowering 
shrubs. In autumn and winter they have a delightful appear- 
ance, from their various-coloured fruit. I would, therefore, 
recommend planting them in all shrubberies and pleasure 
grounds. Those who are fond of the natural harmony of 
singing-birds will find Barberries Avell adapted for attracting 
them to the spots where they are planted, most birds being 
very fond of them. They should not, however, be planted 
near the sides of public walks, as the flowers emit a very 
strong and rather disagreeable smell. 

The Barberry is ranged, by Linnaeus, in the first order of 
his sixth class, entitled Hexandria Monogjmia. 

The following Sorts are most esteemed for their Fruity ^c. 

1. The Red Barberry without stones, which has an agree- 
able flavour when full ripe. 

2. The White Barberry. 

3. The Black Sweet ; which is the tenderest of them, 
and should be planted in a warm situation. 

4. The Common Red with stones. This is planted more 
for ornament than use, on account of its beautiful red berries. 

The Barberry is a native of England. 

Of Raising and Pruning Barberries. 

Barberries are very easily propagated from suckers and 
layers, and require the same management in pruning as other 
flowering shrubs. I would always recommend planting them 
in pleasure groimds, and not in kitchen gardens. On grass 
lawns, in pleasure grounds of small extent, they have a fine 
appearance,, and are frequently planted in such situations as 
ornamental flowering shrubs ; they are also planted frequently 
in clumps. 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 109 

When you wish to increase them, encourage the finest 
and cleanest shoots in summer, by trimming all the side 
branches ofF thin ; and when you dress the shrubberies in win- 
ter, lay down the strong shoots, which will take root, and be 
' lit to transplant in autumn following. When designed for use, 
they should be trained up as standards and half standards, and 
they will grow from six to twelve feet high. In summer, trim 
off all the straggling and superfluous shoots so as that they 
may make fine handsome heads. 

Barberries may also be raised from seed ; but suckers and 
layers are best for preserving the sorts distinct. 



( 110 ) 



CHAPTER XVI. 



OF MULBERRIES. 

Different Sorts 'cultivated in England,.,, Propagating^ Plantings 
and Pruning of them,,. .Of Restoring old and decayed Trees, 

T^HE Mulberry, Morus, is a native of Persia ; v/hence it was 
introduced into the Southern parts of Europe, and is now 
commonly cultivated in England, Germany, and other coun- 
tries where the winters are not very severe. It is ranked in 
the fourth order of Linnseus's twenty-first class, Monoecia 
Tetrandria. 

We are informed, that mulberries were first introduced 
into this country in 1596 ; but I have reason to believe, that 
they were brought hither prior to that period, as many old 
trees are to be seen standing at this day about antient monas« 
teries and abbeys ; from which it is at least probable, that they 
had been introduced before the dissolution of those houses. 

Four large mulberry-trees are still standing on the site of 
an old kitchen garden, now part of the pleasure ground, at Si- 
on-House, which, perhaps, may have stood there ever since 
that house was a monastery. The late Duke of Northumber- 
land has been heard to say, that these trees were above 300 
years old. 

At the Priory near Stanmore, Middlesex (the seat of 
the Marquis of Abercorn), there are also some antient mul- 
berry-trees. The priory was formerly a religious house. 

In a very old garden at Chelsea, which belonged to the 
late John Browning, Esq. (who was a very good botanist, and 
had a large collection of trees and plants) there is one of the 
largest mulberry-trees that I ever saw, and which appears to 
be extremely old. 

Gerard, who published his History of Plants in 1597, 
says, in that book, that mulberry-trees then grew in sundry 
gardens in England. 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. lU 



Those commonly cultivated in this Coimtry are, 

1. The Common Black Mulberry-Tree, which is much 
iesteemed for its delicate fruit. This is now common in most 
parts of Europe, except where the winters are very severe. 
There is a variety of this with jagged leaves, and smaller 
fruit ; but Mr. Miller says, that it is a distinct species, a na- 
tive of Sicily ; and that the fruit has no flavour ; consequently, 
it is not worth cultivating. There were some of these trees 
in Chelsea Gardens. 

2. The White Mulberry. This tree is raised in great 
abundance in Italy, and other Southern countries, for the leaves, 
to feed silk^worms* ; though it is said that the Persians gene- 
rally use the Common Black Mulberry for that purpose ; and 
this latter is the only sort raised for the sake of its fruit, which 
is very wholesome. 

3. The Red or Virginian Mulberry-Tree, which grows to 
a considerable height, and bears reddish berries. 

The two last are cultivated, in this country, only for the 
sake X)f variety. 

Mulberries are raised from seed, or propagated from cut- 
tings and layers. 

Those raised from seed have frequently male flowers, and 
produce no fruit ; these, therefore, should never be made 
choice of for fruit-bearing trees, unless they have been seen to 
bear in the nursery. 

The best bearing branches of old trees are to be chosen 
for cuttings and layers ; for some branches of these trees pro- 
duce only katkins, and trees raised from them will never pro- 
duce fruit. If they are to be raised from layers, they will ge- 
nerally take root sufficiently the first year to bear separating 
from the parent tree, and should then be planted in a nursery, 
and trained up with single stems. In four years they v/ill be 
fit to plant out where they are to remain. They should be plant- 
ed at a proper distance to admit the sun and air, as the fruit, 
when the trees are too close, is very apt to turn mouldy ; they 
should also be sheltered from the East, North, and West 
winds. 

But the best way of raising mulberries is from cuttings of 
the former year's shoots, having one joint of the two years' 
wood. Plant them out in autumn, if fine weather, or in the 
month of March, in rows nine inches apart, and at the distance 

* This tree possesses the peculiar property of breeding no vermin, either 
■while growing or when cut down ; neither does it harbour any caterpillar, 
the silk-worm excepted, Evelyn's Sylva, by Hunter, vol. 2. p. 40, 



lis TREATISE ON THE CULTURE ANb 



of two inches in the rows, leaving only two or three buds above 
ground : Mulch the ground with leaves or dung well rotted, to 
keep it moist, and the plants will require little watering. If 
they succeed well, they may, next season, be transplanted into 
a nursery, and treated as directed for layers. These young 
trees, while they remain in the nursery, should be transplanted 
every three or four years. 

I would recommend planting of mulberries in grass or- 
chards and pleasure grounds, because the finest of the fruit, 
when ripe, frequently drops, which, if it fall on dug or ploughed 
ground, will be soiled and rendered unfit for use, as the earth 
will adhere so to the fruit as to render the cleaning of it imprac- 
ticable ; but if planted on lawns, or in grass orchards, the fruit 
can be picked up without receiving any injury. Another rea- 
son for planting these trees on lawns or in orchards is, that, 
when full grown, they are too large for a kitchen garden. The 
soil in which they thrive best is a rich, light, and deep earth. 

As the fruit is produced on the young wood, you should 
cut out only such branches as cross others, and such as are de* 
cayed, or broken by any accident ; at the same time apply the 
composition. If, however, the heads should become too full 
of wood, it will be necessary to thin them, as the fruit is larger 
and better flavoured where the heads are kept thin of wood. 

I have found many of these trees in a very decayed state, 
with the trunks quite hollow ; and have tried the efficacy of the 
composition on several of them, cutting out all the dead wood 
and cankery parts of some, and heading down others that were 
stunted and sickly. After these operations they put forth vi- 
gorous branches, and bore excellent crops of fruit, more than 
double the size of that which they produced in their former 
state. 

I would advise those who have any old decayed mulberry- 
trees, to treat them in the same manner ; but those which arc 
very much decayed should be headed down ; this will throw 
them into a healthy bearing state, and in two or three years 
they will produce plenty of fine fruit. 

In the lawn in front of the house of John Grove, Esq. at 
Little Chelsea, there are four old mulberry-trees, which a few 
years ago were so very much decayed, and so full of wounds 
and dead wood, that they produced very little fruit, and that of 
a small size. I had all the decayed and rotten wood carefuUV 
cut out, and the branches trimmed, and then the composition 
applied. In the first season the}^ sent forth fi.ne shoots, and in 
the second produced plenty of fruit, of a better flavour and dou- 
ble the size of that which they formerly bore. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 113 



As old mulberry-trees produce not only a greater quantity 
of fruit, but also much larger and of a finer flavour, than young 
ones, it is well worth while to take some pains to repair the in- 
juries which they may have sustained by accidents or age. 

I am sorry tb say, that this pleasant and valuable fruit is 
but very little cultivated in this country*. 

* Gerard, in his description of the mulberry-tree, has the following cu- 
rious paragraph *' Hexander in Atheneus affirmeth, that the mulberry. trees 

in his time did not bring forth fruit in twenty years together ; and, that so 
great a plague of the gout reigned and raged so generally, as not only men, 
but boys, wenches, eunuchs, and women, were troubled with that disease^" 



( 114) 



CHAPTER XVII* 



OF THE SERVICE. 

The Cultivated Service^ the Wild Service, and the Maple-leaved 
Service; tvith their Culture* 

There are three sorts of the Service-Tree cultivated in 
England, viz. the Cultivated Service, the Wild Service, or 
Mountain Ash, and the Maple-leaved Service. The first is a 
native [of the warmer climes of Europe ; and the other two 
grow wild in different parts of England. 

The Service belongs to the twelfth class of Linnaeus's 
System, entitled Icosandria Trigynia. 

Of the Cultivated Service, 

This tree is well worth cultivating, both for its fruit and 
for ornament. It is beautiful in the month of June when in 
flower, and the fruit in autumn has a fine appearance, and grows to 
a large size if the trees be kept thin, and not over4oaded with 
w^ood. They may be planted in orchards among other fruit- 
trees ; for, as they flower much later than apples and pears, 
there will be no danger of the Farina intermixing with theirs. 
They may also have a place in plantations in the pleasure 
grounds, or singly on the lawn, or in the rows by the sides of 
gravel-walks : In this case, they should be trained with straight 
stems eight or ten feet high, and all the straggling branches 
should be cut in, to assist them in forming handsome round 
heads. These trees may be intermixed with thorns, and will 
have a very good effect. 

We have only two sorts cultivated in the garden ; viz. the 
Apple-Shaped, and the Pear-Shaped Service-Tree. 

These trees are propagated from seed, layers, and cuttings. 
By raising them from seed you may perhaps obtain several va- 
rieties ; but the best method of preserving the sorts, when you 
have fine varieties is by grafting or budding. 

Train the stem, if for standards, six or eight feet high; 
but if for dwarfs, about three feet high j which latter may be 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 115 



planted in shrubberies. The fruit, when ripe, maybe gathered 
and put in the fruit-room ; letting it remain till nearly in a state 
of decay : It will make a variety when served up to table among 
the autumn fruits. 

The wood of this tree is very useful for making picture- 
frames, toys, &c. 

When the trees are pruned, and where there are any de- 
payed parts, the composition should be applied. 

Of the Wild ServicC'Tree, or Mountain Ash. 

The Wild Service is sometimes planted in orchards among 
fruit-trees; but I would recommend planting it in pleasure 
grounds, plantations, or on lawns, for ornament, where the dif- 
ferent varieties of the fruit have a beautiful effect in autumn ; 
and the fruit gathered, when full ripe, and laid by some time 
to soften, has a very agreeable acid taste. 

The seeds, when properly dried, may be sown in autumn 
In beds of light mould ; taking care to keep them free from 
weeds in summer. In the following autumn they may be 
transplanted into beds, or quarters (according to the number 
which you may wish to plant), and trained either for dwarfs or 
standards. 

By selecting the largest and finest fruit many varieties may 
be obtained from the seed ; they may also be propagated from 
layers ; but those who are fond of having a great variety, and 
keeping the sorts true, should graft them. 

If trained up with straight clean stems, service-trees will 
grow to the height of thirty or forty feet; in that case they 
should be planted among forest-trees, or on the back parts of 
large shrubberies. But those who wish to plant them as flower- 
ing shrubs must head them down when young, to make them 
throw out horizontal shoots ; they may then be planted among 
the middling-sized shrubs, which will make a beautiful variety, 
both when in flower and when bearing fruit. 

Wild service-trees* grow to a considerable size when pro- 
perly managed, and are very much used by wheelers, &c. on 
account of the wood being all, what they call, heart-wood. 

Of the Maple4eaved Service'Tree* 

This tree grows wild at Paddington, and in other parts of 
England, and is frequently forty or fifty feet high, with a large 
spreading head, making a fine appearance, and deserves a place 
among forest-trees and in extensive plantations and gardens. 

* The fruit of the wild service is excellent food for game and other birds. 



116 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE &c. 



It bears large bunches of white flowers, succeeded by clusters 
of brown fruit, which, when gathered full ripe, and laid by 
for some time, till it becomes soft, has a very agreeable tart 
flavour. 

This tree may be raised from seed, which should be sown 
in autumn, or by layers ; but those who wish to raise them in 
the dwarf state should graft them very low, and train them 
from six to eight feet high. Some graft them on white thorns ; 
but I prefer their own stocks. If these dwarfs are trained up 
with fine heads, they will have a very good effect in shrubberies. 
If intended for standards, train them up as high as you can : 
They will have a beautiful appearance in the back parts of 
shrubberies. They may also be trained without grafting, and 
planted on lawng for ornament. Some train them as espaliers ; 
but this I do not approve of, as they are not so ornamental, 
neither do they bear so well. 

The wood of this tree is also very useful for mechanical 
purposes. 



( 117 ) 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



OF THE ALMOND. 

Different Sorts of Almonds; their Propagation^ and the 3Ie- 
thfsd of Pruning them.*..HQxv to keep them during Winter, 

The Almond belongs to the twelfth class of Linnaeus, 
Icosandria Monogynia, being joined with the Peach, and was 
introduced here in 1570. 

Almonds are beautiful trees for planting in shrubberies 
and plantations, and deserve a place in every pleasure ground, 
on account of their coming so early into bloom, and for the 
use of their kernels. 

The following are the Sorts propagated in this country for Orna^ 
ment and Use, viz. 

The Tender-shelled Almond, the Sweet Almond, the 
Common or Bitter Almond, the Sweet Jordan Almond, the 
Hard-shelled Almond, the Dwarf, and the Double-flowering 
Almonds. The last two, being beautiful early flowering shrubs, 
are planted for ornament only. 

Almonds are propagated by budding them upon plum, 
almond, or peach stocks. The next spring you may train them 
for standards, or let them grow for half standards ; but the 
common way is, to bud them as high as you wish the stem to 
be ; and the second year after they may be planted out for 
good. If you are to transplant them into a dry soil, let it be 
done in October, when the leaves begin to decay ; but if into 
wet ground, the month of February is the proper season. Al- 
monds budded on plumb stocks thrive best in a wet soil, and on 
almond and peach stocks in a dry. 

When the young trees are brought from the nursen^, they 

should never be cut till the young shoots begin to break as 

directed for peaches and nectarines. 

Almonds require nearly the same management in prun- 
ing as standard apricots. After wet autumns, when the wood 
is not well ripened, hard winters are apt to kill the shoots j 

R 



118 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 



in that case, they should be cut down to the sound wood ; 
taking care to cut out the cross shoots that rub against others, 
leaving the tree open in the middle, pruning the shoots about 
the same length as apricots, and according to their strength. 
Never omit cutting out all the cankery parts, and decayed 
wood. 

Some plant these trees out as standards, and others as 
half standards, according to the ground and situation ; always 
taking care to plant them in a sheltered place facing the South, 
intermixing them in the back of the shrubberies with the taller 
flowering shrubs : Or they may be planted on lawns for or- 
nament, as they make a very beautiful appearance when in 
flower, or bearing fruit. If planted as dwarfs, they may be 
covered with poles stuck into the ground, thatching over the 
tops of the trees with some fern, or any other light covering, 
which will prevent the blossom from being killed by the frost 
in February and March. After the fruit is set, and the leaves 
so far out as to cover it, if fine weather, the covering may be 
removed in the latter end of April or beginning of May, which 
w^ill ensure a plentiful crop of almonds; a very useful supply 
for the table in autumn and winter. 

Those who have plenty of wailing sometimes plant al- 
mond-trees on walls, and sometimes on espaliers. 

Almonds may be preserved in dry sand, or bran, for use ; 
but they must be thoroughly dried on shelves, or boards, in 
an airy place before they are put into the sand or bran, other- 
wise they will get mouldy. They are preserved only for their 
kernels, the othf r part of the fruit being of no service. 



( 119 ) 



CHAPTER XIX. 



OF FILBERTS AND HAZLE-NUTS. 

The Sorts commonly cultivated in England,,,, Method of Culture,*,*, 
How to keep them in Winter, 

Filberts and Hazle-Nuts grow wild in woods and hedges, 
and are brought in great quantities to the London markets, and 
to those of other large towns throughout the kingdom ; em- 
ploying a great many poor families during the autumn, who 
otherwise might have very little to do, and of course be a bur- 
den on the public. 

This genus of plants is ranged in the eighth order of Lln- 
nseus's twenty-first class, Moncecia Polyandria, 

The Sorts generally cultivated in England are the following^ 

1. The Large Cob Nut. 

2. The Large Long Nut, which produces very fine large 
fruit. 

5. The Barcelona, or Spanish Nut, with large cups. 

4. The Common Wood Nut, with red skinned kernels. 

5. The Filbert with white kernels. 

6. The Filbert with red kernels. 

7. The Large Cluster Wood Nut. 

Of Propagating and Pruning Nut-Trees, 

Filberts and nuts of all kinds are propagated from seed, 
layers, and suckers ; but those who wish to have fine sorts 
should graft the trees, or lay down in March some of the 
straightest shoots, notched at a joint, pegging them into the 
ground ; then cover them with earth about three inches thick, 
making basons round them with edges of mould about two 
inches higher than the surface of the ground, to prevent the 
water's running olf ; water them sometimes in dry weather, and 
mulch them with some rotten leaves, to keep them moist. By 
the following autumn they will be fit to take up and plant oat 
in beds in the nursery, where they should remain about two 
years, planting them out in August where you wish them to re- 



120 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



main for good. If any of the layers have not taken proper root, 
they may be left till the autumn following. 

Filberts and nuts may be planted on the outsides of woods, 
or in the back parts of shrubberies and pleasure grounds, or 
in large kitchen gardens, in shady walks ; or for the purpose of 
hiding sheds, cisterns, &c. 

When they are raised from seed, it should be sown in au- 
tumn, in a light earth ; and it will be necessary to cover the 
beds all over with slates, flat stones, or bricks, to prevent the 
mice from eating the nuts or carrying them off in winter. 

When at the Botanic Gardens, Chelsea, I once sowed se- 
veral quarts of Large Barcelona Nuts, in pots, in two frames 
at a considerable distance from each other, the nuts were all 
carried off by the mice in one night. On searching round the 
lining of a frame where we kept green-house plants in winter, 
I found above a quart of the nuts in one hoard, w^hich I again 
sowed immediately, covering them over with slates ; from these 
nuts I raised some very fine plants. 

The Barcelona Nut-Tree is rather scarce in England, but 
it is well worth cultivating ; it is a distinct species, and grows 
to a fine timber tree. The nuts that I sowed, as mentioned 
above, were produced from a fine tree in the Botanic Gardens 
at Chelsea*. 

Those who are not in possession of plants may procure 
them from nuts fresh imported from Spain, by sowing them 
as above directed. Great quantities are imported annually 
under the name of Barcelona, or Great Spanish Nuts. 

When in the nursery, nut-trees should be trained with 
single straight stems, to form fine heads from three to six feet 
high ; cutoff the leading shoot at the height you would have 
the head formed, rubbing off all the lower buds, and leaving 
only as many at top as you think will be sufficient to form a 
handsome head, and according to the strength of the stem. 

Nuts, when intended for keeping, should be well dried 
and packed in jars or boxes of dry sand (and placed in a fruit- 
room, or dry cellar), well covered down to preserve them from 
mice. 

The shoots of filberts and nut-trees are very useful for 
stacking green-house plants and raspberries, or for making- 
withes to bind faggots, and for sticking peasef. 

* This tree, at two feet and a half from the ground, measures about four 
feet in circumference. 

f I have often been astonished, that those who have gardens in America, 
should pay so little attention to fruit of this sort. The nuts, which are natives 



MANAGEMENT OF FRL'IT TREES, &c. 121 



of the Middle States, are excellent, even in their uncultivated state, where 
they have to contend with every possible disadvantage. They are something 
between the English hazle-nut and the filbert, and, with a little care, might 
be rendered very productive and profitable. They are much better than the 
Spanish nuts, which are sold at Philadelphia for a shilling sterling a pint, or 
thereabouts ; and yet no pains are taken to cultivate them. Our sorts, too, 
might be obtained at a very small expence. 1 have sent several plants to my 
friends at Bustletown, which, I hear, grow very well ; and I have lately sent 
them some of the finest hasle-nuts I ever saw, and which 1 got from the gar- 
den of Joseph Galloway, Esq. at Waterford. If these succeed, 1 hope it vf ill 
be an inducement for others to obtain a like supply. 



( 122 ) 



CHAPTER XX. 



OF CHESNUTS. 



Different Sorts cultivated in England.*. ,„Chesnut'Trees are 

excellent Timber Hoxv to Propagate ^ Plant ^ and Head 

theirc^. 

The Chesnut, Castanea, is a native of the South of Europe, 
and is said to take its name from Castana, a city of Thessaly^ 
were antiently it grew in great plenty. It belongs to Linnaeus's 
twenty-first class, Monacia Polyandria. 

The sorts mostly cultivated in England are those com-* 
monly called Spanish Chesnuts, which run into great varieties 
when raised from seed ; and a sort called, in America, Chin- 
quapin, or Dwarf Virginian Chesnut ; but this is only raised 
for the sake of variety. 

The former are very fine trees, and well worth cultivat- 
ing both for use and ornament. The timber is reckoned equal 
to oak, and, for making casks, even superior to it ; as, when 
seasoned, it is not so liable to shrink or swell as oak. These 
trees have also a very noble appearance, and are therefore very 
fit to plant in parks, &c. 

Gerard says, that in his time there were several woods of 
chesnuts in England, particularly one near Feversham in Kent ; 
and Fitz-Stephens, in a description of London written by him 
in Henry the Second's time, speaks of a very noble forest 
which grew on the North part of it. This tree grows some- 
times to an amazing size. Not to mention those abroad, there 
is one at Lord Ducie's at Tortworth, in the county of Glou- 
cester, which measures nineteen yards in circumference, and 
is mentioned by Sir Robert Atkyns, in his History of that 
county, as a famous tree in King John's time ; and by Mr. 
Evelyn, in his Sylva, book 3d, chap. 7, p. 233, fourth edition, 
to have been so remarkable for its magnitude in the reign of 

* 1 particularly request the American reader to pay attention to what is 
hereafter said about the preservation of the fruit of the chesnut. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc. 123 



King Stephen, as then to be called the Great Chesnut of Tort- 
worth ; from which it may reasonably be supposed to have 
been standing before the Conquest. Lord Ducie had a draw- 
ing of it taken and engraved in 1772. One of the prints is now 
in my possession*. Formerly a great part of London was 
built with chesnut and walnut-tree ; and at Sion House, the 
seat of the Duke of Northumberland, the stables are built 
with them, from the old monastery at that place, which was 
taken down when the present mansion-house was built. 

The best way of propagating chesnut-trees is from seed, 
gathered when thoroughly ripe ; v^^hich is generally about the 
latter end of October ; but they should not be gathered till the 
husks begin to open, and the nuts appear of a brownish co- 
lour ; they will then drop of themselves, and should be care- 
fully picked up in the morning ; and particularly after high 
winds ; those v/hich are intended for eating, or for seed, 
should be always suffered to drop of themselves ; they will be 
found much better than those that are beaten down. If, hov/- 
ever, the frost should set in early, you will be under the ne» 
cessity of thrashing them down, which should be done in 
dry day. All that fall in the husk should be thrown in heaps 
in a shed, or other convenient place, and suffered to remain 
three weeks, or a month, in that state, to ripen. They should 
then be taken out of the husks, and the best picked out and 
laid up by themselves, after being well dried, on mats, or 
cloths, in a sunny situation. They should be laid up in the 
fruit-room, or granary, on shelves, or on a dry floor. Re- 
member to turn them frequently. The inferior ones will do 
for sowing, or they may be given to pigs or turkeys, who are 
very fond of them ; they will be found very good for fattening 
poultry, especially turkeys. If during the winter they should 
become damp or mouldy, they should be turned and carefully 
wiped ; and if spread at a moderate distance from a fire, or 
dried in an oven after the bread is drawn, and then packed 
in boxes, or jars, with thorough dry sand, they will keep 

* At Aslited-park, near Epsom, the seat of Richai-d Howard, Esq. there 
are a great many Spanish Chesnuis, that were sown by a gardener now living, 
one of which, at three feet from the ground, measures seven feet in circum- 
ference, and has a trunk upwards of fifty feet higli. 

Since writing the above, I have seen the old gardener, Thomas Davie, 
who is now 77 years old, and have had some conversation, with him. He 
says, that at the age of 15 he bought three shillings worth of chesnuts in 
London on purpose to treat his fellow-servants ; but finding that they would not 
accept of them, he sowed them in a bed in the garden at Ashted, which then 
belonged to the Earl of Sulfolk, and afterwards planted out the young trees 
where they now stand. These trees are, therefore, at this time, sixty-two 
years old, from the seed. 



124 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



plump and good*. Observe not to put them into the oven 
when too hot, as it will make them shrivel : And those for 
sowing must not be dried in this manner, as the heat of the 
oven would kill the germ. In a fine warm season, I have seen 
them ripen as well and grow nearly to as large a size as foreign 
ones, when the trees were healthy ; but in a middhng season 
they will do very well for sowing, or for fatting pigs and poul- 
try. Be careful to preserve them from rats and mice, other- 
wise they will soon destroy vast quantities of them. 

They may be sown in beds of light earth in the month of 
November, if it be a dry autumn, drawing the drills about nine 
inches apart, and about three deep. Plant the nuts about an 
inch apart in the rows, with the points upwards, as bulbous 
roots are planted; then cover them with mould, and pat it down 
with the back of your rake. The beds should be four or five 
feet wide, and a little raised towards the middle to carry off the 
water. There should be alleys between the beds, about eight- 
een inches wide, and about two or three inches deep ; these 
will receive and carry off the rain-water, which otherwise would 
be apt to rot the nuts. Thus, a five-foot bed will admit of six 
rows and a small edging next the alley. If you find the mice be- 
gin to attack them, the beds should be completely covered over 
with slates, flat stones, or bricks, till the nuts begin to spring; 
they must then be taken off. If it be a hard winter, it will be ne- 
cessary, before the stones or tiles are put on, to cover the beds 
with some rotten dung, rotten leaves, or old tan, to preserve the 
nuts from the frost. If it be a mild winter, and the nuts have 
been sown in autumn, they will begin to vegetate before Christ- 
mas ; but if the autumn be wet, I would advise not to sow 
them till some time in February, or the beginning of March. 
By the nuts being sown in rows, you will have room to hoe be- 
twixt the rows, and be able to keep them clear of weeds, which 
you could not so easily do if they were sown broadcast. If it 
should prove a very dry summer, it will be necessary to give 
them a good watering once or twice a week, till the plants be- 
gin to get strength. If they be well managed, by the end of 
October, or in the following spring, you may transplant them 
into beds, in rows about a foot apart, and at the distance of four 
inches in the row, where they may remain for two years longer ; 

* In America, particularly, chesnuts become very much shrivelled in 
about two months after they are gathered. The method here described, will 
effectually prevent this. Chesnuts may, by this method, be kept good, fresh, 
and full-skinned, all the year round, and this, too, without any expence, worth 
speaking of, and with very little trouble. The same observations apply to all 
sorts of nuts. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 125 

taking eare to trim all the side shoots, leaving only one straight 
stem. These beds may have alleys about the same width as 
before, with this difference, that the beds should be two inches 
lower than the alleys, which must be well trodden, to keep the 
earth from crumbling down into the beds. First level all your 
ground, then stretch the line from one end of the bed to the 
other, according to the size of the ground, and with your spade 
cut off the edging in the inside of the bed, throwing the mould 
towards the middle of it ; then remove the line to the other 
fiide of the bed, which ought to be from four to six feet wide, 
and cut the other edge, throwing the mould into, the bed as be- 
fore. When this is done, throw up some of the mould on the 
top of the alley, to make it about two inches higher than the 
bed, and tread the alley well down. Then begin to plant your 
young trees in rows across the bed, a foot or fifteen inches 
apart, and about six iiiiches in the row, digging the ground and 
planting as you proceed, also beating up the edges of the alleys 
with the baclj; of your spade, to keep the mould from tumbling 
down into the bed. Proceed thus till you have finished the bed, 
and so on till you have planted the whole. If it be dry weather, 
each bed should be watered as yOu finish planting it, which be- 
ing made a little lower then the alleys will retain the water that 
you throw on it, and will prevent the rain from running off : If 
the dry weather continue long, mulch the beds as before direct- 
ed. Observe to keep them free from weeds, watering them as 
occasion requires, and trimming up the plants with only one 
stem. In this state they may remain two years, and, if any qf 
the plants require it, stake them to keep them straight. At 
the end of two years they will be fit for transplanting, and may 
be plan,ted out for good, if they are properly fenced off from 
cattle ; but if they are to be placed in an ope^i exposure, they 
ought first to be planted out in a piece of ground, properly pre- 
pared for the purpose, at the distance of two feet from row to 
row, and one foot in the row. If they have been planted in 
the autun^n (which I would always recommend, except in wet 
ground, or when the season is wet), let them remain till next 
spring twelvemonth, and then head them down to two eyes 
above ground, cutting as near as may be to an eye, and sloping 
to the North, that the shoot which is thrown out may cover 
the stem in the first seasons which, if the business be rightly 
performed, it will do, and grow to the length of six or seven 
feet, according to the vigour of the stem. If they are not 
headed down in, this manner, you will never have straight 
handsome trees. If the ground be properly fenced off from, 
cattle, those that aje planted out for good, at three years old^ 

s 



126 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 



must be treated in the same manner after the first or second 
year. It may, however, be necessary to observe, that young 
trees must not be headed down immediately after transplant- 
ing ; they ought to be well rooted before that operation is per* 
formed ; and it is also worthy of remark, that the larger the 
stems are when they are headed, the stronger and more luxu«? 
riant will the shoots be. 

I did not, at first, intend to have said any thing of chesnuts 
and walnuts ; but, as most people are fond of them, and as they 
are generally served up at table with the dessert, it seemed 
proper to give some account of their culture, &c. 



{ 127 ) 



CHAPTER XXIi 



OF WALNUTS. 

Different Sorts described.,-,,.Their Propagation^ Plantings and 
Trimming;*, Great Utility of the Timber, ;, Method of keep^ 
ing Walnuts in Winter,, 

TThE Walnut, Juglands, is a risltive of Persia j and the time 
of its introduction here is not known with certainty. It belongs 
to the twenty-first class of Linnseus's System, Moncecia Po- 
lyandria. 

Those commonly cultivated in this country are the fol- 
lowing varieties of the common walnut, viz. the Double Wal- 
nut, the Large Walnut^ the French Walnut, the Thin-skinned 
Walnut, and the Late Walnut. The Hickery Nut from North 
America, the fruit of which is small but well flavoured, is also 
raised here, as is the Black Virginia Walnut 5 but this latter is 
cultivated chiefly for its timber. There are several other sorts 
from North America, which are planted for Variety^. 

The best way of raising these trees is from the nut, which 
should be gathered when full ripe : Those with thin shells are 
to be preferred for this purpose. Walnuts, unless a sharp frost 
sets in, which is very seldom the case before they are ripe, 
should be suff"ered to remain on the trees till they begin to drop 
of themselves i Shaking of the tree will then bring them down. 
Beating them down with poles, as is usually done, injures the 
trees very much^ by breaking the young shoots : Beside, the 
huts never will keep well when they are thrashed down too 
early. 

The nuts may be sown in drills in the same manner as ches- 
liuts : The best time for doing this, if the season be dry, is au- 
tumn ; and the nuts must be thoroughly dry, otherwise they will 
be apt to rot before they vegetate. If the autumn be wet, they 
may be sown in the month of February or the beginning of 

* These latter are the different sorts of what is called the Butter Nut, in 
America. They seldom bear, in England, and the fruit is good for nothing. 



i2B TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



March, and ought to be covered over as directed for ches- 
nuts, to preserve them from. mice. If they thrive well, they 
will be fit for transplanting the first autumn after sowing; 
but, if not, they should be suffered to remain another year. 
Bed them out in the same manner as directed for chesnutSj 
transplanting every second or third year, until they are planted 
out for good. This will cause them to throw out fine horizon- 
tal roots, and bring them into a bearing state much sooner than 
when they make deep tap-roots. Train them up with fine single 
stems to about seven feet high, before you suffer them to form 
heads ; the branches v/ill then be out of the reach of catde. The 
time of transplanting them out depends on the progress that 
thev have made in the nurser}' ; they should be suffered to 
continue there until they have grown to a tolerable size, and 
to the height just mentioned as proper for standards. The 
ground, where they are to be planted, should be well ploughed 
or trenched, and the tree planted, at first, in rows six feet apart, 
and the same distance from tree to tree in the rows, in the 
quincunx order, and thus to remain till they come into bear- 
ing. This will be necessary, as there is no dependance on the 
sort of fruit that trees raised from seed may produce. After 
you have made choice of those which bears the best fruit, the 
other may be planted out for timber, or cut down for stakes, or 
any other purpose. The trees left for bearing must be thin- 
ned, by taking out every other tree in the remaining rows, as 
they increase in size, till they stand at the distance proper for 
full grown trees ; which may iDe from twentv-four to forty-eight 
feet according to the richness of the soil and the progress which 
the trees make. 

In trimming the stems of walnut-trees, cut off the shoots 
and small branches close to the bole,- and in lopping, cutting, 
out cross branches, or such as are damaged by winds and 
other accidents, always cut at a fork or eye, otherwise part of 
the branch will die and injure the tree. But, whether onlv a 
part or the whole of a branch be cut off, the composition ought 
immediately to be applied*. 

Formerly, walnut-tree was much used for building, and 
for houshold furniture ; but mahogany and other foreign tim- 
bers, have now in a great measure superceded it, especially in 
the latter article. This timber will do very well for uprights, 
but is rather too britUe for joists, rafters, kc. and, when pro- 

* I know that there is great difTicuity In raising walnut-ti-ees in America; 
but, I nevertheless, am of opinion, that, if proper attention were paid to the 
cultivation of them, they would answer very well. At any rate it is worth a 
trial. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc, 129 



perly polished, it looks very well In chairs, tables, bureaus, Sec. 
It is, at present, a good deal used for gun-stocks. Walnuts 
thrive best in a deep rich soil, but will do very well in a chalky 
soil, as may be seen on the hills in Surry, in the neighbourhood 
of Leatherhead, Godstone, and Carshalton ; and, at Bedding- 
ton-Park, the seat of the antient family of the Carews, there 
are many fine old walnut-trees. These trees are well worth 
cultivating ; as the yearly value of the fruit that they bear is 
very considerable^. There is a great deal of money made, in 
plentiful years, by thinning of the nuts for pickling, both for 
home consumption, and also for exportation. The leaves of 
walnuts steeped in boiling water, and that infusion mixed with 
lime-water, soap-suds, and urine, is found very efficacious 
for destroying slugs and worms in the ground, and insects on 
trees. 

Walnuts for keeping should be suffered to drop of them- 
selves, and afterwards laid in an open airy place till they are 
thoroughly dried ; then pack them in jars, boxes, or casks, 
with fine clean sand, that has been well dried in the sun, in an 
oven, or before the fire, in layers of sand and walnuts alternate- 
ly ; set them in a dry place, but not where it is too hot. In this 
manner I have kept them good till the latter end of April. 
Before you send them to table, wipe the sand clean off ; and, if 
you find that they have become shrivelled, steep them in milk 
■and water for six or eight hours before they are used ; this 
will make them plump and fine, and cause them to peel 
easily. 

* At Beddington, about 50 walnut-trees (and not above half of that num- 
her fall bearers) have been let at 501.401. and 501. according to the crop ; 
and it is supposed, that in a good season the renter clears 501. by the bargain. 

Beddington was noated in Queen Elizabeth's time for the finest orangery 
in England. 



( 130 ) 



CHAPTER XXII. 



OF GRAFTING AND BUDDING. 

Four different ways of Graftings with Observations „**0n using 

the Composition^ instead of Grafting-Clay Of Buddings 

with Observations^ Qfc. 

Grafting is the taking of a shoot from one tree, and 
inserting it into another, in such a manner as that both may unite 
closely and become one tree ; this is called, by the antient 
writers in husbandry and gardening, incision^ to distinguish it 
from inoculating, or budding, which they call inserere ocidos, 

I have taken a great deal of pains to trace the practice of 
grafting to its origin ; but without success, as no author that I 
have perused gives any satisfactory account of it; it is how- 
ever, allowed by all to be very antient. 

The use of grafting is, to propagate any curious sorts of 
fruits so as to be certain of the kinds ; which cannot be done 
by any other method : For, as all the good fruits have been 
accidently obtained from seeds, so, of the seeds of these, when 
sown, many will degenerate, and produce such fruit as is not 
worth the cultivating : But when shoots are taken from such 
trees as produce good fruit, these will never alter from their 
kind, whatever be the stock or tree on which they are grafted. 

The principle or philosophy of grafting is somewhat ob- 
scure ; and, had not accident given the first hint, all our know^ 
ledge of nature would never have led us to it. The effect is 
ordinarily attributed to the diversity of the pores or ducts of 
the graft from those of the stock, which change the figure of 
the particles of the juices in passing through them to the rest 
of the tree. 

Mr. Bradley, on occasion of some observations by Agri- 
cola, suggests something new on this head. The stock grafted 
on he thinks, is only to be considered as a fund of vegetable 
matter which is to be filtered through the cion ; and digested^ 
and brought to maturity, as the time of growth in the vessels 
of the cion directs. A cion, therefore, of one kind grafted on 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. m 



a tree of another, may be rather said to take root in the tree 
that it is grafted in, than to unite itself with it : For it is visi- 
ble, that the cion preserves its natural purity and intent, though 
it be fed and nourished by a mere crab ; which is without doubt, 
occasioned by the difference of the vessels in the cion from 
those of the stock j so that grafting may be justly compared to 
planting. 

In prosecution of this view, of that ingenious author, we 
add, that the natural juices of the earth, by the secretion and 
comminution in passing through the roots, &c. before they ar- 
rive at the cion, must doubtless arrive there half elaborated 
and concocted, and so disposed for a more easy, plentiful, and 
perfect assimilation and nutrition ; whence the cion must ne- 
cessarily grow and thrive better and faster than if it were put 
immediately in the ground, there to live on coarser diet and 
harder of digestion ; and the fruit produced by this further pre- 
paration in the cion must be finer, and further exalted, than if 
fed immediately from the more imperfectly prepared and alter- 
ed juices of the stock. It may, perhaps, be thought unneces- 
sary to say any thing here on grafting, as it has been so fully 
treated of by Mr. Miller, and other writers on gardening ; but 
as this treatise is principally on pruning and training, grafting 
seems naturally connected with it. 

I persuade myself, therefore, that a few instructions in 
grafting will not be unacceptable, as they may save the reader 
the trouble of turning to other books ; especially as they are 
more particularly intended for the grafting of old trees, and 
such as are found, when they come to bear, to be a different 
sort from what was expected : For, although nurserymen in 
general are very careful in these matters, yet, through the in- 
attention of their men, or some mistake, or by an improper 
choice of the sorts, it will frequently happen, that, after wait- 
ing thirteen or fourteen years, when the trees come to bear, 
the fruit is found of a bad quality, and not fit for use ; so that 
new grafting or budding is absolutely necessary. 

I shall, therefore, give what directions may be necessary 
on that subject, to render it plain and easy to those who have 
not been regularly instructed in the art of grafting from ge- 
neral practice j and add a method which I have followed for 
some years, and which I flatter myself will be found an im- 
provement. 

The shoots used in grafting are called cions, or grafts ; 
and in the choice of these the following directions should be 
carefully observed, 1st. That they are shoots of the former 
year } for when they are older they never succeed well. 2dly. 



132 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Always to take them from healthy fruitful trees ; for, if the 
trees from which they are taken be sickly, the grafts very of» 
ten partake so much of the distemper as rarely to get the bet- 
ter of it, at least for some years ; and when they are taken 
from young luxuriant trees, vvhose vessels are generally large, 
they will continue to produce luxuriant shoots, but are sel- 
dom so productive as those which are taken from fruitful 
trees whose shoots are more compact, and the joints closer to- 
gether ; at least it will be a great tiumber of years before the 
luxuriant grafts begin to produce fruit, even if managed with 
the greatest skill. 3dly. You should prefer those grafts which 
are taken from the lateral or horizontal branches, to those 
from the strong perpendicular shoots, for the reasons before 
given. 

These grafts, or cions, should be cut off from the trees 
before their buds begin to swell, which is generally three 
weeks or a month before the season for grafting ; therefore,, 
when they are cut off they should be laid in the ground with 
the cut downwards, burying them half their length, and cover- 
ing their tops with dry litter, to prevent their drying ; if a 
small j. ant of the former year's wood be cut off with the cion, 
it will preserve it the better, and when they are grafted this, 
may be cut off ; for at the same time the cions must be cut to 
a proper length before they are inserted in the stocks ; but, 
till then, the shoots should remain of their full length, as they 
were taken from the tree, which will better preserve them 
from shrinking ; if these cions are to be carried to a considera- 
ble distance, it will be proper to put their ends into a lump 
of clay, and to wrap them up in moss, which will preserve 
them fresh for a month, or longer ; but these should be cut off 
from the trees earlier than those which are to be grafted near 
the place where the trees are growing. 

Having given directions for the cions and grafts, we next 
come to that of the stock, which is a term applied to the 
trees intended for grafting ; these are, either such old trees 
as are already growing in the places where they are to re- 
main, whose fruit is intended to be changed ; or young trees, 
which have been raised in the nursery for a supply to the 
garden ; in the former case, there is no other choice, than 
that of the branches, which should be such as are young, 
healthy, well situated, and have a smooth bark ; if these trees, 
are growing against walls, or espaliers, it will be proper to 
graft six, eight, or ten branches, according to the size of 
the trees, by which they will be much sooner furnished with 
branches again, than when a less number of eions are put in jl 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 133 



but in standard trees, four, or at most«6ix, cions will be suf- 
ficient. 

In the choice of young stocks for grafting, you should al- 
ways prefer such as have been raised from the seed, and that 
have been once or twice transplanted. 

Next to these, are those stocks which have been raised 
from cuttings, or layers ; but those which are suckers from 
the roots of other trees should always be rejected ; for these 
are never so well rooted as the others, and constantly put out 
a great number of suckers from their roots, whereby the bor- 
ders and walks of the garden will be always pestered during 
the summer season ; these are not only unsightly, but they 
also take off part of the nourishment from the trees. 

If these stocks have been allowed a proper distance in the 
nursery where they have grown, the wood will be better ripen- 
ed, and more compact, than those which have grown close, 
and have been there drawn up to a greater height ; the wood 
of these will be soft, and their vessels large ; so that the cions 
grafted into them will shoot very strong ; but they will be less 
disposed to produce fruit than the other ; and v/hen trees ac- 
quire an ill habit at first it will be very difficult to reclaim them 
afterward. 

Having directed the choice of cions and stocks, we come 
next to the operation ; in order to which you must be provided 
with the following tools : 

1. A neat small hand-saw, for cutting off the heads of 
large stocks. 

2. A good strong knife, with a thick back, to make clefts 
in the stocks. 

3. A sharp pen-knife, or budding-knife, to cut the grafts. 

4. A grafting chisel and a small mallet. 

5. Bass strings, or woollen yarn, to tie the grafts with ; 
and such other instruments and materials as you should find 
necessary, according to the sort of grafting which you are to 
perform. 

6. A quantity of clay, which should be prepared a month 
before it is used, and kept turned and mixed, like mortar, 
every other day : This is to be made in the following man- 
ner. 

Get a quantity of strong fat Ioa«i (in proportion to the 
quantities of trees intended to be grafted) ; then take some 
new stone-horse dung, and break it in among the loam ; and if 
you cut a little straw, or hay, very small, and mix amongst it, 
the loam will hold together the better ; and if there be a quan- 
tity of salt added, it will prevent the clay from dividing in dry 

T 



134 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



weather ; these must well stirred together, putting water to 
them after the manner of making mortar ; it should be hol- 
lowed like a diah, filled with water, and kept every other day- 
stirred ; but it ought to be remembered, that it should not be 
exposed to the frost, or drying winds ; and the oftener it is 
stirred and wrought the better. 

Of late years, some persons have made use of another 
composition for grafting, which they have found to answer the 
intention of keepmg out the air be^tter than the clay before de- 
scribed. This is composed of turpentine, bees-wax, and rosin, 
melted together ; which, when of a proper consistence, may 
be put Oil the stock round the graft, in the same manner as the 
clay is usually applied ; and, though it be not above a quarter 
of an inch thick, it will keep out the air more effectually than 
the clay ; and, as cold will harden this, there is no danger of 
iis being hurt by frost, which is very apt to cause the clay to 
cleave, and sometimes to fall off ; and, when the heat of the 
summer comes on, this mixture will melt, and fall off with- 
out any trouble. In the using of this, there should be a tin 
or copper pot, with conveniency under it to keep a very gen- 
tle fire with small coal ; otherwise the cold will soon condense 
the mixture : But you must be careful not to apply it too hot, 
lest you injure the graft. A person who is a little accustom- 
ed to this compo»sition will apply it very fast ; and it is much 
easier for him to work with than clay, especially if the season 
should prove cold. 

There are several ways of grafting, but four principal 
one s, [See Plate 11.] 

1. Grafting in the rind, called also shoulder-grafting; 
which is only proper for large trees : This is called crown- 
grafting, because the grafts are set in form of a circle, or 
crown ; and it is generally performed about the latter end of 
March, or the beginning of April. 

2. Cleft-grafting, which is also called stock, or slit-grafting ; 
this is proper for trees or stocks of a lesser size, from an inch 
to two inches or more, diameter : This grafting is to be per- 
formed in the months of February and March, and supplies 
the failure of the escutcheon way, which is practised in June, 
July, and August. 

3. Whip-grafting, which is also called tongue-grafting : 
This is proper for small stocks of an inch, half an inch, or less, 
diameter ; it is the most effectual way of any, and is most in 
use. 

4. Grafting by approach, or ablactation : This is practi^ 
sed when the stock that you would graft on, and the tree from 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, 135 



which you take your graft, stand so near together, that they 
maybe joined; and should be performed in the month of 
April. This method, which is also called inarching, is chiefly 
used for jasmines, oranges, and other tender exotic trees. 

We come next to the manner of performing the several 
methods of grafting. 

The first, which is termed rind, or shoulder-grafting, is 
seldom practised but on large trees, where either the head or 
the large branches are cut off horizontally, aud two or more 
cions put in, according to the size of the branch, or stem ; in 
doing this, the cions are cut fiat on one side, with a shoulder 
to rest upon the crown of the stock ; then the rind of the stock 
must be raised up, to admit the cion between the wood and the 
bark of the stock, which must be inserted about two inches, 
so as that the shoulder of the cion may meet, and closely join 
the crown of the stock ; and, after the number of cions is in- 
serted, the whole crown of the stock should be well clayed 
over, leaving two eyes of the cions uncovered therewith, which 
will be sufficient for shooting. This method of grafting was 
much more in practice formerly than it is at present ; and the 
discontinuance of it was caused by the ill success with which 
it was attended ; for, as these cions were placed between the 
rind of the stock and the wood, they were frequently blown 
out by strong winds, after they had made large shoots, which 
has sometimes happened after five or six years' growth ; so 
that, whenever this method is practised, there should be some 
stakes fastened to support the cions until they have almost co- 
vered the stock. 

The next method is termed cleft, or stock-grafting ; this 
is practised upon stocks, or trees, of a smaller size, and may 
be used with success where the rind of the stock is not too 
thick, whereby the inner bark of the cion will be prevented 
from joining to that of the stock. This may be performed on 
stocks, or branches, that are more than one inch diameter : 
The head of the stock, or branch must be cut off with a slope, 
and a slit made the contrary way, in the top of the slope, deep 
enough to receive the cion, which should be cut sloping like a 
wedge, so as to fit the slit made in the stock ; being careful to 
leave that side of the wedge which is to be placed outward 
much thicker than the other: And in putting the cion into the 
slit of the stock, there must be great care taken to join the 
rind of the cion to that of the stock ; for if these do not unite, 
the grafts will not succeed ; when this method of grafting 
is used to stocks that are not strong, it will be proper to 
make a ligature of bass, to prevent the slit of the stock from 



136 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



opening; then the whole should be clayed over, to prevent 
the air from penetrating the slit, so as to destroy the grafts, 
only leaving two eyes of the cions above the clay for shooting. 

The third method is termed whip, or tongue-grafting, 
which is the most commonly practised of any by the Nursery- 
men near London, especially for small stocks, because the 
cions much sooner cover the stocks in this method than in any 
other. 

This is performed by cutting off the head of the stocks 
sloping ; then there must be a notch made in the slope toward 
the upper part downward, a little more than half an inch deep, 
to receive the cion, which must be cut with a slope upward, 
and a slit made in this slope like a tongue, which tongue must 
be inserted into the slit made in the slope of the stock, and the 
cion must be placed on one side of the stock, so as that the 
two rinds of both cion and stock may be equal and join to- 
gether exactly ; then there should be a ligature of bass to fas- 
ten the cion, so that it may not be 'easily displaced, and after- 
wards clay it over as in the former methods. 

The fourth sort of grafting is termed, inarching, grafting 
by approach, or ablactation. This is only to be performed 
when the stocks that are designed to be grafted, and the tree 
from which the graft is to be taken, stand so near together, as 
that their branches may be united. It is commonly practised 
on tender exotic plants, and some other sorts which do not suc- 
ceed in any of the other methods. 

In performing this operation, a part of the stock or branch 
must be slit off about two inches in length, observing always to 
make choice of z smooth part of the stock ; then a small notch 
should be made in this slit of the stock downward, in the same 
manner as hath been directed for whip-grafting ; the branch of 
the tree designed to be inarched should have a part slit off in 
like manner as the stock, and a slit made upward in this so as 
to leave a tongue, which tongue should be inserted into the slit 
of the stock ; observing to join their rinds equally, that they 
may unite well together ; then make a ligature of bass, to keep 
them exacth' in their situation, and afterwards clay this part of 
the stock over well, to keep out the air; in this method of graft- 
ing, the cion is not separated from the tree until it is firmly 
united with the stock, nor is the head of the stock, or branch, 
which is grafted, cut off till this time, and only half the wood 
pared off with a slope, about three inches in length, and the 
same of the cion or graft. 

This method of grafting is not performed so early in the 
season as the others •, it being done in the month of April, 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 137 



when the sap is flowing, at which time the cion and stock 
will join together, and unite much sooner than at any other 
season. 

The walnut, fig, and mulberry, will take by this method 
of grafting, but neither of these will succeed in any of the other 
methods ; there are also several sorts of evergreens that may 
be propagated by this method of grafting ; but all the trees 
that are grafted in this way are weaker, and never grow to the 
size of those which are grafted in the other methods ; therefore 
this is rarely practised but on such sorts of trees as will not 
take by the other methods. 

Observations on Grafting, 

In a long continuance of dry weather the grafts very fre- 
quently fail of taking ; sometimes, no doubt, owing to the impro- 
per choice of the grafts, as well as to the dry weather. Great care 
should always be taken not to graft with weak shoots, particu- 
larly those taken from near the top. Always take your grafts 
from the lower end of the shoots, and observe that the wood 
is plump and fresh ; for such as are shrivelled seldom or never 
take. Where any have missed in the spring, I would advise 
to cut off, about the middle or latter end of June, (in America, 
the middle of July) some fine healthy grafts of the sort that 
you wish to graft with, open the bark in the same manner as 
you do for budding [of which hereafter], and insert the graft 
with a piece of the former year's wood on it: After you have 
done this, rub in, with a brush, some of , the composition in a 
liquid state ; then wrap your bass round it, as is done for 
spring grafting, leaving about three eyes on the shoot, which 
should be tied on with the bass as tight as you can ; then cover 
the outside of the bass, thus tied up, with the composition to 
the thickness of about one eighth of an inch, observing also to 
cover the end of the shoot with the same, to exclude the air 
and wet. In about three weeks, or a month, look over the 
grafts to see if they have taken. When the graft begins to 
swell, it will throw off the composition : When that is the case, 
always remember to apply more, to prevent the air from pene- 
trating the incision. 

In the month of September, you should examine whether 
the wounds are all healed up, and the two barks perfectly united ; 
if they are, you may slacken the bass ; and if they are perfectly 
healed up, it may be taken off ; but if not, the bass must again 
be tied on, and covered with the composition as before directed ; 
letting it remain till the following sprtng. You may then take 
the bass off ; and, if you find that the two barks have separated 



138 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



during the winter, with the point of a sharp knife, cut out all 
the brown part of the bark (which, if left, would infallibly 
bring on the canker), and rub the composition into the wound. 
If your grafts have produced strong leading shoots, the tops 
of them should be pinched off with the finger and thumb; but 
if they have not shot strong, they should not be cut till the 
spring, when they shou d be cut to three or four eyes, according 
to their strength, to make them produce horizontal shoots, and 
form handsome heads. This grafting should always be per- 
formed in moist or cloudy weather. 

I have already, in the chapter on apple-trees, mentioned 
the advantages to be derived from using the composition in- 
stead of grafting-clay, and also given some directions for the 
same. Rubbing a litde of it into the incision will effectually 
prevent the canker, and in applying it round the graft a much 
less quantity will be sufficient than of the clay ; as it need not 
be more than three inches round in grafting small stems or 
shoots, and so in proportion for those which are larger. The 
composition will keep the cion moist, and will not crack and 
fall off in dry weather as clay does. The composition to be 
used in grafting should be of such a consistence as to work 
easily with the hand, or a knife, or small trowel, rather softer 
than grafting-clay generally is. Any person, who gives this 
method a fair trial, will find it to be a sure, neat, and expedi- 
tious way of grafting. 

Grafting, or budding, should be performed as near to the 
upper side of a bud as possible. The most proper place for 
inserting the cion, or bud, is at the joint a little above the cross 
shoot. 

Inoculation, or Budding, 

This is commonly practised upon all sorts of stone fruit in 
particular; such as peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, &c. 
as also oranges and jasmines ; and is preferable to any sort of 
grafting for most kinds of fruit. The method of performing 
it is as follows : You must be provided with a sharp pen- 
knife, or what is commonly called a budding-knife, having a 
flat haft (the use of which is, to raise the bark of the stock to 
admit the bud), and some sound bass mat, which should be 
soaked in water to increase its strength, and make it more pli- 
able ; then, having taken off cuttings from the trees that you 
would propagate, you should choose a smooth part of the stock, 
about five or six inches above the surface of the ground, if de- 
signed for. dwarfs, and for half standards at three feet; but, for 
standards, they should be budded six or more feet above the 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 139 



ground ; then with your knife, make an horizontal cut across 
the rind of the stock, and from the middle of that cut make a 
slit downwards about two inches in length ; so that it may be 
in the form of a T ; but you must be careful not to cut too 
deep, lest you wound the stock ; then having cut off the leaf 
from the bud, leaving the foot-stalk remaining, you should 
make a cross cut about half an inch below the eye, and with 
your knife slit off the bud with part of the wood to it, in form 
of an escutcheon ; this done, you must with your knife pull off 
that part of the wood which was taken with the bud, observing 
whether the eye of the bud be left to it or not (for all those buds 
which loose their eyes in stripping should be thrown away, be- 
ing good for nothing) ; then having gently raised the bark of 
the stock where the cross incision was made, with the flat haft 
or handle of your knife clear of the wood, you should thrust 
the bud therein, observing to place it smooth between the rind 
and the wood of the stock, cutting off any part of the rind be- 
longing to the bud v/hich may be too long for the sht made in 
the stock ; and having thus exactlv fitted the bud to the stock, 
you must tie them closely round with bass mat, beginning at the 
under part of the slit, and so proceed to the top ; taking care 
that you do not bind round the eye of the bud, which should be 
left open. 

When your buds have been inoculated three weeks or a 
month, you will see which of them have taken j those which 
appear shrivelled and black are dead ; but those which remain 
fresh and plump, you may be sure are joined; and at this time 
you should loosen the bandage, which if not done in time, 
will pinch the stock, and greatly injure, if not destroy the 
bud. 

In the March following you must cut off the stock about 
three inches above the bud ; sloping it, that the wet may pass 
off, and not enter the stock : To this part of the stock left above 
the bud, it is very proper to fasten the shoot which proceeds 
from the bud, and which would be in danger of being blown 
out, if not prevented ; but this must continue no longer than 
one year, after which it must be cut off close above the bud, 
that the stock may be covered thereby. 

The time for inoculating is, from the middle of June un- 
til the middle of August, (in America, from the end of June 
to the end of August,) according to the forwardness of the 
season, and the particular sorts of trees to be propagated ; but 
the time may be easily known, by trying the buds, whether 
they will come off well from the wood, or not. However, 
the most general rule is, when you observe the buds formed 



140 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



at the extremity of the same year's shoots, which is a sign of 
their having finished their spring growth. 

The first sort commonly inoculated is the apricot, and the 
last the orange-tree, which should never be done until the mid- 
dle of August ; and in doing of this work, you should iilways 
make choice of cloudy weather j for if it be done in the mid- 
dle of the day, in very hot weather, the shoots will perspire 
60 fast as to leave the buds destitute of moisture ; nor should 
you take off the cuttings from the trees long before they are 
used ; but if you are obliged to fetch your cuttings from some 
distance, as it often happens, cut off the leaves, but let all the 
foot-stalks remain, then wrap the cuttings up in wet moss and 
put them in a tin box (carrying them in a tin case with water 
being now disused) to exclude the air; in this manner you 
may carry them to any reasonable distance in good condition 
for inoculating. 

It is a very improper practice of many persons, to throw 
their cuttings into water ; for this so saturates the buds with 
moisture, that they have no attractive force left to imbibe the 
sap of the stock ; for want of which they very often miscarry. 

But before I quit this subject, I beg leave to observe, that 
though it is the ordinary practice to divest the bud of that part 
of the wood which was taken from the shoot with it ; yet, in 
many sorts of tender trees, it is best to preserve a little wood 
to the bud, without which they often fail. The not observing 
this has occasioned some people to imagine, that certain sorts 
of trees are not to be propagated by inoculation ; whereas, if 
they had performed it in this method, they might have suc- 
ceeded, as I have several times experienced. 

The next thing necessary to be known by those who would 
practise this art is, what trees will take and thrive, by being 
grafted, or inoculated, upon each other ; and here there have 
been no sure directions given by any of the writers on this 
subject ; for there will be found great mistakes in all their 
books, in relation to the matter ; but, as it would extend this 
article too far, if all the sorts of trees were to be here enu- 
merated which will take upon each other by graftmg or bud- 
ding, I shall only give such general directions as, if attended 
to, will be sufficient so to instruct persons, as that they may 
succeed. 

All such trees as are of the same genus, /. e, which agree 
in their fiower and fruit, will take upon each other : For in- 
stance, all the nut-bearing trees may be safely grafted on each 
Other, as may all the plum-bearing trees, under which head I 
reckon not only the several sorts of plums, but also the al- 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 141 



mond, peach, nectarine, apricot, &c. which agree exactly in 
their general characters, by which they are distinguished from 
all other trees ; but, as many of these are very subject to emit 
large quantities of gum from the parts of the trees which are 
deeply cut and wounded ; in the tender trees of this kind, viz. 
peaches and nectarines, which are most subject to this, it is 
found to be the surest method to bud or inoculate these sorts of 
fruits*-. 

All such trees as bear cones will do well upon each other, 
though they may differ in one being ever green, and the other 
shedding its leaves in winter ; as is observable in the Cedar of 
Libanus, and the Larch-Tree, which are found to succeed 
upon each other very well; but these must be grafted by ap- 
proach ; for they abound with a great quantitv of resin which 
is apt to evaporate from the graft if separated from the tree be- 
fore it is joined with the stock, whereby they are often de- 
stroyed ; as also the laurel on the cherry, or the cherry on the 
laurel. All the mast-bearing trees will also take upon each 
other, and those which have a tender soft wood will do well 
if grafted in the common way; but those that are of a more 
firm contexture, and are slow growers, should be grafted by 
approach. 

By strictly observing this rule, we shall seldom miscarry, 
provided the operation be rightly performed, and at a proper 
season, unless the weather should prove very bad, as it some- 
times happens, whereby whole quarters of fruit-trees miscarry ; 
and it is by this method that many kinds of exotic trees are not 
only propagated, but also rendered hardy enough to endure 
the cold of our climate in the open air ; for, being grafted upon 
stocks of the same sorts which are hardy, the grafts are ren- 
dered more capable of enduring the cold, as hath been expe= 
rienced by most of our valuable fruits now in England, which 
were formerly transplanted hither from more Southerly cli- 
mates, and were at first too impatient of our cold to succeed 
well abroad ; but have been, by budding or grafting upon more 
hardy trees, rendered capable of resisting our severest cold. 

These different graftings seem to have been greatly in use 
among the antients, though they were certainly mistaken in the 
several sorts of fruits which they mention as having succeeded 

* The peaches and nectarines, in America, should be inoculated upon 
plums, almonds, or apricots, all of which have a much greater capacity of 
resisting the attacks of those insects, which destroy the tree. But, I ima- 
gine, that, if the American cultivator pay attention to the chapters on diseases 
and on insects, he will easily preserve, or restore, the stems of all his fruii 
trees. 

V 



142 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



upon each otker ; as the fig upon the mulberry, the plum upon 
the chesnut, with many others of the like kind ; most of which 
have been tried by Mr. Miller, and found not to succeed ; there- 
fore what has been advanced on this head by the antients is not 
founded on experience ; or, at least, they did not mean the 
same plants which at present are called by those names ; though 
I cannot help thinking that we are apt to pay too much defer- 
ence to the writings of the antients, in supposing them seldom 
to be mistaken, or to assert a falsehood ; whereas, if their works 
are carefully examined, it will be found, that they have often 
copied from each other's writings without making experiments 
to prove the truth of their assertions ; and it is well known, 
that the ranging of plants before Csesalpinus's time (which is 
about two hundred years since) was, by their outward appear- 
ance, or from the supposed virtues of them, a method that is 
now justly exploded ; and it has been observed, from many re- 
peated trials, that however plants may resemble each other in 
the shape and make of their leaves, manner of shooting, &c. 
unless they agree in their fruit, and their other distinctive char- 
acters, they will not grow upon each other, though performed 
with ever so much art. 

Observations on Budding Pear-Trees, 

When the pear-trees which are grafted in the spring have 
not taken, I would advise to cut them off, a little below the 
graft, at a joint or bud. The tree will then throw out a great 
number of healthy shoots : Rub these all off, except so many 
as will be suflicient to fill the wall j nailing those up, to prevent 
the wind from breaking them. 

About the latter end of July the shoots will be fit to bud, 
which should be done about that time, I would recommend 
leaving a little of the wood on the inside of the bud when in- 
serted into the stocky rubbing in the composition, and tying on 
the bass as before. 

Last spring I grafted some Summer Bonchretiens with the 
Bergamot de Pasque (or Easter Bergamot), and Peard'Auch, 
most of which failed. I then cut them off below the grafts, and 
in July following they had produced shoots from five to six 
feet long, which I budded in the latter end of that month with 
the beforementioned sorts, which all took. About the begin- 
ning of September I ordered a man to slacken the basses ; 
which having left too loose, the barks began to separate. I 
then made him tighten them, letting them remain till the fol- 
Ipwing spring. About the beginnbig of April, when I saw the 
buds begin to shoot, I cut the shoots near to the buds, but 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 143 



finding many where the bark had not united, and some of the 
eyes apparently dead, I took a sharp pen-knife and cut out all 
the decayed bark, rubbing in the composition, in the liquid state, 
till the hollow parts were filled up ; I then smoothed it off, 
with the finger, even with the bark of the stock. I also rubbed 
some of the composition over those eyes that were in the worst 
state, being quite black ; but with very little hope of recovery. 
To my great astonishment, many of those which seemed per- 
fectly dead, recovered, and by the middle of July had shoots 
from live to six feet long (many of the shoots which took well 
have fruit buds formed for next year), and covered a space of 
wall larger than a young tree would have done in eight years ; 
all the cavities where I cut out the dead bark, and applied the 
composition, were, in the course of the summer, filled up with 
sound wood, and the bark between the stocks and grafts per- 
fectly united. 

Three years ago I budded on some Brown Beurres and 
Crasanes with Pear d'Auch, one of which now covers a wall 
sixteen feet high, and fifteen feet long, and has more fruit on 
it this year than a maiden tree would have produced twenty 
years after planting. 

I never recommend budding or grafting of old trees, ex- 
cept when you have bad sorts, or more of any sort than you 
want for a supply : In that case, I would recommend to bud or 
graft with Pear d'Auch, Colmars, and Winter Bonchretiens, * 
which keep much longer than Beurres, Crasanes, &c. 

It will be necessary to give some directions for standards 
that have been grafted in the spring, and have missed. In such 
case, they should be cut below the graft, as directed for wall- 
trees ; and when so treated, they will throw out a great num- 
ber of shoots, which should by no means be too soon thinned, 
as in that case they Avill be liable to be broken by the wind. 
You may begin to take off the weakest shoots about the latter 
end of May, or beginning of June. About the middle of the 
latter month, they will have acquired considerable strength ; 
you may then thin them; leaving as many strong regular shoots, 
and of those nearest the top of the stem, as will form a hand- 
some head. If the stem be very strong, it will be necessary, 
perhaps, to leave more than you intend to bud, on purpose to 
receive the sap, which will flow in great abundance from a 
large trunk, and, without this precaution, would be apt to 
burst the shoots, if there be not a sufficient number to receive 
it. I have often seen shoots as large as my arm burst by a 
superabundance of sap. When that is likely to happen, the 
best thing you can do is, to scarify the shoots, and rub a little 
of the composition into the wound. 



( 144 ) 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



OF A GARDEN. 

Its Situation^ Size^ Soil^ and Form,,,, Of Waterings Draining^ 
efc Of the Melon-Ground^. 

Al garden, if possible, should be on a gentle decllvitv 
towards the South, a little inclining to the East to receive the 
benefit of the morning sun. If it be situated in a bottom, the 
v/ind will have the less effect upon it ; but then damps and fogs 
will be very prejudicial to the fruit and other crops: And if 
situated too high, although it will in a great measure be free 
from damps and fogs, it will be exposed to the fury of the winds, 
to the great hurt of the trees, by breaking their branches and 
blowing down the blossoms and fiuit. A garden should be 
well sheltered from the North and East, to prevent the blight- 
ing winds from alf. cting the trees ; and also from the Westerly 
winds, which are very hurtful to gardens in the spring or sum- 
mer months. If a garden be not naturally sheltered with gen- 
tle rising hills, which are the best shelter of any, plantations of 
forest-trees made at proper distances, so as not to shade it, will 
be found the best substitute. At the same time, there ought 
to be a free admittance for the sun and air. On that account, 
a place surrounded by woods is a very improper situation for a 
garden or orchard, as a foul stagnant air is very unfavourable 
to vegetation ; and it is also observed, that blights are much 
2r.0re ficquent in such situations, than in those that are more 
open and exposed. 

I have recommended the practice of intermixing fruit- 
trees in shrubberies and plantations of this kind to several gen- 
tlemen, who have adopted it with success. While the fruit- 
trees are in flower, they are a great ornament to the shrubberies ^ 
and in summer and autumn the different colours of the fruit 
have a beautiful appearance. Add to this the advantage; 

* Some of the directions, contained in this chapter, will not appljr ta 
America ; but the far greater part of them will, and I recommend those, who 
wish to have complete gardens, to study it with cax-e. 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 145 



of a plentiful supply of fruit for the table, and for making 
cider and perry ; and if some cherries are interspersed among 
them, they will be food for birds, and be the means of pre- 
venting them from destroying your finer fruit in the orchard 
or garden. 

About six years ago, my worthy friend Walter Urquhart,. 
Esq. of Warley Park, near Waltham Abbey, planted a clump 
of fruit and forest-trees, with flowering shrubs in front, next 
the house, to screen his garden, which was so injudiciously 
situated as to present the walls to view from the house, and 
from almost every part of his beautiful park. The fruit-trees 
made choice of for this purpose were large ones of various 
kinds, which had been headed down, and were then full of fruit- 
buds. These trees were planted at a proper distance from the 
garden, so as not to shade the walls, and the forest-trees inter- 
spersed among them, according to the height that they would 
attain when full grown. 

Mr. Urquhart has continued to take up some of the forest- 
trees from time to time, as the fruit-trees spread their branches 
and require more room. Thus the clump has become a nursery 
for forest-trees ; a great deal of money is saved which would 
otherwise have be^n expended in the purchase and carriage of 
plants ; and from it he has made some very fine new plantations. 
The fruit-trees make a handsome orchard, and at the same time 
cover the walls of the garden. 

When the situation will not admit of such plantations, I 
would advise planting some cross rows of fruit-trees in the gar- 
den, at the distance of forty or seventy yards from each other, 
more or less according to the size of the garden. In long rows, 
one row of trees will be sufficient on each side of the walk; but 
in the shorter cross rows, there should be two rows on each 
side. The trees should not be planted opposite to each other, 
but alternately ; so as that those of one row may be opposite to 
the open spaces of the other. Trees planted in this manner 
will have a good eifect, and will also serve to break the force 
of high winds, and prevent a great deal of damage which might 
otherwise be done to the rest of the trees throughout tlje gar- 
den. Those which I vfould recommend for the above purpose 
are dwarfs, with stems about two feet high, which can easily 
be obtained by cutting off the lower branches. 

In laying out a new garden, another very essential point 
is, to make choice of a good soil. It should be two or three 
feet deep ; but if deeper the better ; of a mellow pliable na- 
ture, and of a moderately dry quality; and if the ground 
should have an uneven surface, I would by no means attempt 



146 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



to level it ; for by that unevenness, and any little difference 
there may be in the quality^, you will have a greater variety of 
soil adapted to different crops. The best soil for a garden is, 
a rich mellow loam ; and the worst, a stiff heavy clay. A 
light sand is also a very unfit soil for a garden. 

Sea-coal ashes, or the cleaning of streets and ditches, 
will be found very proper to mix with a strong soil ; and if 
the ground should be cold, a large quantity of coal-ashes, sea 
sand, or rotten vegetables, should be laid upon it, in order to 
meliorate and loosen the soil, and render it easy to work. 

Lime rubbish, or light sandy earth from fields and 
commons, will also be found of great service to stiff clayey 
ground. 

If the soil be light and warm, rotten neat's dung is the 
best dressing that you can give it. If horse-dung be ever used, 
it must be completely rotted, otherwise it will burn up the 
crop the first hot weather. 

With regard to the form of a garden, there are various 
opinions, and it sometimes depends on the situation ; but 
where you are at perfect liberty I would prefer a square or 
oblong. As to the size, it may be from one acre to six or 
eight within the wall, according to the demand for vegetables 
in the family. It should be walled round with a brick wall 
from ten to twelve feet high : But, if there be plenty of wall- 
ing, which there may be when you are not stinted with respect 
to ground, I would prefer walls ten feet high, to those that 
are higher, and I am convinced they will be found more conve- 
nient. The garden should be surrounded with aborder, or slip, 
from forty to sixty feet wide or more, if the ground can be 
spared ; and this again inclosed with an oak paling from six 
to eight feet high, with a cheval-de-frise* at top, to pre- 
vent people's getting over : It will also strengthen the paling. 

By making slips on the outside of the garden wall, you 
will have plenty of ground for gooseberries, currants, straw- 
berries, &c. You may allot that part of the slips which lies 

* A very good clieval-de-frise may be constructed as follows : Take a 
piece of wood of a convenient length, about four inches broad, and one inch 
and a quarter thick, and plane the upper edge into the shape of the roof of a 
house of a low pitch ; then draw a line on each side from end to end, about 
an inch and a quarter below the upper edge, and through these lines drive 
twelve-penny nails about four inches distant from each other, so as to come 
out near the upper edge on the opposii-e side. Each nail should be opposite 
the middle of the space between two nails on the other side. The nail heads 
should be sunk in the wood, and small strips nailed over them ; then drive in 
tenter-hooks between the nail points, and nail the whole firmly on the outside 
of the top of the paling. In this manner proceed till you have finished the 
whole of the fence. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 147 



nearest to the stables (if well sheltered, and exposed to the 
sun,) for melon and cucumber beds ; and you can plant both 
sides of the garden-wall, which will give a great addition to 
the quantity of wall fruit. 

If the soil of the new garden be strong, it should be plow- 
ed or dug three or four times before you plant any thing in 
it; and if it be thrown up in ridges during the winter, it will 
be of great service, as the frost will meliorate and loosen its 
parts. 

Gardens, if possible, should lie near a river, or brook, 
that they may be well supplied with water. From these, if 
the garden does not lie too high, the water may be con- 
ducted to it by drains, or, which is much better, by pipes, 
taking care to lay them low enough to receive the water in 
the driest season, which is the time when it will be most 
wanted. 

If there be no running water near the garden, and if the 
latter lies on a declivity near a public road, I would advise 
to make a hollow drain, or a cut, from the most convenient 
part of the road to receive the water that washes the road in 
rainy weather, and convey it to a large cistern, or tank, in 
the upper part of the garden ; this, if the road be mended with 
lime-stone or chalk, v/ill prove an excellent manure. The 
water from the cistern, or from the river, may be conducted 
to the different quarters by means of pipes, which having 
cocks at proper places, the water may be turned upon the dif- 
ferent quarters of the garden at pleasure. Or the water may 
be conveyed in proper channels, and turned on the quarters 
in the same manner as in watering meadov/s. 

These pipes, channels, &c. will be a considerable expence 
at first ; but they will soon repay it by saving a great deal of 
time, which would otherwise be spent in pumping and carry- 
' ing water. The most convenient time for turning the water 
on, is in general, during the night ; and in dry weather it 
would then be of the most essential service. 

If the situation be such that you are obliged to pump 
the water from deep wells, there should be a large reser- 
voir, in which it should be exposed to the sun and air for 
some days before it is used : It may then be turned on as 
above. 

If the ground be wet and spewy, it will be proper to 
make a bason in the most convenient place, to receive the wa- 
ter that comes from the drains, and to collect the rain that 
falls on the walks. 



148 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



In laying out the quarters, you must be guided in a great 
measure by the form and size of the garden ; but do not lay 
them out too small, as in that case a great part of the ground 
will be taken up with walks. The best figure is a square or 
oblong, when the garden is of that form ; but if not, they 
may be laid out in any other figure that is thought to be most 
convenient. 

The middle walks should be about seven feet, which is 
wide enough to admit a cart ; and the others about three or 
four feet broad ; with a border on each side, five or six feet 
wide, at least, between the walk and the fruit-trees. Walks 
in kkchen gardens are generally gravelled, and but seldom 
laid with turf, as the frequent wheeling and treading soon de- 
stroys the grass and renders them very unsightly : But a bind- 
in';^ sand makes good walks and they are easily kept ; for when 
moss or weeds begin to grow, they may be cleaned with a horse- 
hoe, or scuffeled over v/ith a Dutch hoe, in dry weather, and 
raked a day or two after, by which they will be made always 
to look neat and clean. I, however, give the preference to 
sea-coal ashes, which in my opinion make the best walks for a 
kitchen garden, and they are easier kept than any other, being 
firm and dry, and cleaner to walk on than sand, especially af- 
ter frost. 

The bottoms of the walks should be filled up with brick 
rubbish, chippings of stones, or gravel and stones; those raked 
off the quarters will do very well, and by using them you will 
save carriage. 

If the soil be stiff and wet, or subject to detain the mois- 
ture, there must be under ground drains made to carry off the 
water. In this case, let the main drain be made under the 
walk, to receive and carry off the water from those under the 
quarters. Draining, when the soil is wet, is absolutely neces- 
sary, otherwise the trees will never produce good well-flavour- 
ed fruit, and your kitchen plants will be much injured : The 
drams also under the walks will keep them dry and firm, and 
make them fit for carting and wheeling on in wet weather. 

The borders under the v/alls, in the inside, should be 
from ten to twenty feet wide, according to the size of the gar- 
den, to give full liberty to the roots of the trees to spread. 
There should be a foot path about two feet and a half from the 
wall, for the greater convenience of nailing the trees, gather- 
ing the fruit, &c. This walk should be from two to two feet 
and a half wide (to admit a barrow, or barrow engine for wa- 
tering the trees), and covered with sand, or, which is better^ 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 149 



coal ashes*, about two or three inches thick ; but without any 
gravel or rubbish below. On these borders you may have early 
or late crops, according to the aspect ; but by no means plant 
any deep-rooting plants, such as cabbages, beans, peas, &c. 
(except early frame peas J, which would be very hurtful to the 
trees. 

The reasons for allotting part of the outside. slip next the 
stable for hot-beds for raising melons and cucumbers, are, first, 
because there will be no litter to carry in within the walls to 
dirty the walks ; secondly, the beds will not be seen from the 
garden ; and lastly, the convenience of carrying the dung, by 
which a great deal of time will be saved in carting and wheel- 
ing. 

It will be necessary, especially in exposed situations, to 
enclose the melon ground with either a wall or paling from six 
to eight feet high. It was formerly a practice to enclose me- 
lon-grounds with reed fences ; but, although they are tolerably 
warm, and easily removed from one place to another (be- 
ing made in separate panels), they are very apt to harbour 
vermin. 

Melons are best worked in brick pits, coped with stone 
or oak, about twelve feet wide and two and a half deep : The 
length should be according to the number of frames that you 
work. The size of the lights, for early melons, should be 
five feet long, and three brood ; but for others they will re- 
quire to be six feet long, and four broad. The former should 
be four and the latter three light boxes. For the pits, a nine- 
inch wall will be sufficient ; and if they are intended for a 
wood coping, the bricklayer must build in some pieces of 
timber to fasten it to : But where stone can be had at a rea- 
sonable rate, I would give it the preference, as wood rots very 
soon. 

There should be a walk between the ridges, about six or 
seven feet broad, sufficient to admit a cart to carry dung, which 
will be much more expeditious than wheeling. The walk 
should be made up as high as the coping, and sloping gently 
towards each end ; the bottom should be filled up and covered 
as before directed : This will be easily kept clean ; sO that, 
after your linings are made up, it may be kept as neat as if it 
were in a pleasure ground. 

It will be necessary to make a loose drain along the mid- 
dle of the bottom of the pit, to convey away any wet, and 

* Slugs avoid coal-ash walks, especially when new-laid and rough ; such 
walks, therefore, may be of service, as they will, in some degree, obstruct 
the passage of slugs and snails from one quarter to another. 

X 



150 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



the oozing from the dang, to a cistern, or tank, made on 
purpose to receive it. I'his moisture, which is the strength 
of the dung, may be used for watering cabbage-plants, cauli- 
flowers, &c, or it m.iy be thrown on the ground for manure, 
I have experienced it to be much better than dung. 

When a garden is planted and finished, it will be found 
very convenient to have a plan of it, with the name of each 
tree inserted in its proper place. This I had done when the 
new slips were laid out in Kensington-Gardens about ten or 
eleven years ago, and have found it of great service. 

Walls of kitchen gardens should be from ten to fourteen 
feet high ; the foundation should be two bricks or two bricks 
and a half thick ; the off-set should not be above one course 
higher than the level of the border ; and the wall should then 
setoff a brick and a half thick. If the walls are long, it will 
be necessary to strengthen them with piers from forty to sixty 
feet apart ; and these piers should not project above half a 
brick beyond the wall. I do not approve of fixed copings, 
especially when they project so far as they are generally made 
to do ; I would rather advise to have a moveable wooden cop- 
ing, fixed on with iron hooks fastened to pieces of wood built 
into the top of the wall : These copings would also be found 
very convenient to fasten the nettings, &c, to in spring, for 
sheltering the fruit-trees. If, however, any should prefer fix- 
ed copings, they should not project above an inch on each 
side of the wall ; this small projection will be sufficient to pre- 
serve the wall, and will not prevent the dew and rain from 
falling on the upper parts of the trees, which is of great ser- 
vice to them. Some copings are made of bricks convex on the 
upper side ; but I have lately seen a very good coping at 
Ashted-Park, near Epsom : It is made of a sort of Welch 
slate, to be had, of different sizes, at Mr. Samuel Wyatt's 
slate-yard, Christ-church, near Blackfriar's Bridge. This is 
made to project about one inch, and answers exceedingly well. 
Flat copings should have a little slope towards the North or 
East, according to the aspect of the wall ; this will carry the 
wet from the South and West sides, which otherwise would 
be apt to injure the early blossoms and fruit on the South and 
West walls in cold nights. 

When bricks can be had, I would advise never to build 
garden walls of stone ; as it is by no means so favourable to 
the ripening of fruit as brick. When a kitchen garden con- 
tains four acres, or upwards, it may be intersected by two or 
more cross walls, which will greatly augment the quantity of 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 151 



fruit, and also keep the garden warm and shelter it greatly 
from high winds*. 

* To those American gentlemen, who have land to lay out in pleasure 
grounds, and most of them have land, which might, at a very little expence, 
be so disposed of, 1 would beg leave to recommend the perusal, and, indeed, 
the study, of the late Lord Orford's celebrated work on *' Modern Garden- 
ing, and laying out of pleasure grounds, parks, farms, ridings, &c. &:c. 
illustrated by Descriptions." This work is a most excellent guide in the stu- 
dy of the higher order of gardening, and very far surpasses what ha^ beei^ 
written by Gilpin, and, indeed, by all other authors on the subject. 



{ 152 ) 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE ORCHARD, 

Its Size^ Situation^ and Soil... .Choice of Trees, Preparing the 
Ground, Planting, ^c....An Annual Wash for Trees. 

Orchards are appropriated to the growth of standard 
fruit-trees only, where a large supply of fruit is wanted ; and 
generally consist of apple-trees, pear-trees, plum-trees, and 
cherry-trees; but a complete orchard should have, besides, 
quinces, medlars, mulberries, service-trees, filberts, Spanish 
nuts, and barberries ; as also walnuts and chesnuts ; the two 
latter of which are well adapted for sheltering the others from 
high winds, and should therefore be planted in the boundaries 
of the orchard, a little closer than ordinary, for that purpose. 
In choosing your trees, too much care cannot be taken to admit 
of none but such as have good roots, fair clean stems, and 
proper heads. In selecting your pears and apples, especially 
the latter, be careful to procure a proper assortment for the 
supply of your table during the whole year : A very few of 
the summer sorts will suffice ; more of the autwnn, and still 
more of the winter will be required ; as upon this last you 
must chiefly depend for supply from the month of January 
to Jul)^ [See the Method of Presei'ving Fruit, chapter 25. j 

In cyder-making counties, such as Hereford, Worces- 
ter, Gloucester, Somerset, and Devon, they have large orch- 
ards of apples ; and in some counties, (Kent in particular) 
there are orchards wholly of cherries. In general orchards, 
however, there ought to be a much larger proportion of apples 
than of any other fruit. Orchards, in proper situations, are 
very profitable ; beside, the trees have a delightful appearance 
when in blossom, and also when the fruit is ripe. 

What has been said respecting the situation and soil of a 
garden is also applicable to an orchard. The situation of an 
orchard should be rather elevated than low ; on a gentle decli- 
vity ; and open to the South and South East, to give free ad- 
mission to the air and rays of the sun (to dry up the damps 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 153 



and disperse the fogs), which will render the trees healthy, 
and give a fine flavour to the fruit. An orchard should also be 
well sheltered from the East, North, and Westerly winds, by 
plantations, if not naturally sheltered by rising grounds. These 
plantations of forest-trees should neither be too large nor too 
near the orchard ; as they would in that case prevent a free 
circulation of the air, which would prove injurious to the fruit- 
trees. But, if the ground will not admit of such plantations, 
I would advise planting cross rows of fruit-trees, as directed 
for gardens. I would also recommend planting some of the 
largest growing trees nearest the outsides exposed to those 
winds ; two or three rows of which should be planted closer 
than ordinary, which would greatly shelter those in the interior 
parts of the orchard. Walnut aud chesnut trees, as has been 
already observed, are well adapted for this purpose. 

As to the size of an orchard, it may be from one to 
twenty acres, or more, according to the quantity of fruit want- 
ed, or the quantity of ground that you may have fit for the 
purpose. 

That soil which produces good crops of corn, grass, or 
garden vegetables, will also do for an orchard ; but a loamy 
soil is to be preferred ; though any of a good quality, not too 
light or dry, nor wet, heavy, or stubborn, but of a mode- 
rately soft and pliant nature, will be found to answer the end. 
Shingly and gravelly soils disagree very much with fruit-trees, 
unless there be loam intermixed*. They will succeed much 
better on a chalk bottom. On such a soil, I have seen roots 
twelve feet deep, and trees thrive well. If the bottom be clay, 
the roots should be cut in once in four years to prevent them 
from penetrating the clay, which would greatly injure the 
trees. The soil should be from two to three feet deep ; be- 
fore planting the trees, it should be trenched two spits deep, 
and ten feet broad where the rows are to be planted, and a spit 
below loosened, unless it be clay, which should be trodden 
down. If it be pasture ground, it should be ploughed, and 
well summer-fallowed, till the grass be killed, otherwise when 
it is laid in the bottom in trenching, which it generally is, it 
will be very apt to breed grubs, which will do much mischief. 

* Where no better is to be had, the holes should be dug at least three 
feet deep, and filled up with good mould ; if mixed up with rotten dung, rot- 
ten leaves, or other manure, the trees will in time amply repay the expence. 
The dung used for this purpose should be that from the melon and cucumber 
beds, mixed with the mould from the same, when the beds are broken up in 
autumn, or winter; it should be laid up in heaps, and continue so for one 
year at least; but should be frequently turned and have some good fresh mould 
mixed with it. 



I 



154 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 

Some only dig holes large enough to receive the roots, 
especipJly in grass ground which is to be continued so. Others 
prepare the ground by deep ploughing, if the orchard is to be 
of great extent. The sward, if pasture, should be ploughed 
in some time in the spring: Give it a good summer- fallow, 
ploughing it two or three times, which will rot the turf. A fort- 
night or three weeks before planting, give the ground a good 
deep ploughing to prepare it for the reception of the trees. 
The best time for planting on a dry soil is in October ; but, if 
wet, the latter end of February, or the month of March, will 
be a fitter season. 

In planting, endeavour to suit the trees as well as possible 
to the soil, and to plant them at proper distances from each 
other ; which may be from forty to eighty feet, according to 
the size of the trees when full grown. Fruit-trees, as has al- 
ready been observed, when planted too thick, are very liable to 
blights, and to be covered with moss, which robs the tree of a 
great part of its nourishment, besides spoiling the flavour of the 
fruit. Procure your trees from a soil nearly similar to, or ra- 
ther worse than that where you intend to plant them ; for trees 
transplanted from a rich soil to a poorer never thrive well, but 
if from a poor to a richer soil, they will generally succeed. 

If trees are planted in the quincunx order, and at the dis- 
tance of eighty feet, the ground between the rows may be 
ploughed and sown with wheat, turnips, &c. or planted with 
potatoes. Ploughing or digging the ground, provided it be not 
done so deep as to hurt the roots, by admitting the sun and rain 
to meliorate the ground, will keep the trees in a healthy flourish- 
ing state. It will be necessary to support the young trees by 
tying them to stakes until they are well rooted, to prevent their 
being loosened or blown down by the wind. The spring after 
planting, if it prove dry, dig up some turf, and lay it round the 
stem of the young trees with the grassy side downwards ; this 
will keep the ground moist, and save a deal of watering: If 
the trees have taken well, this need not be repeated, as they 
will be out of danger the first year. The turf should be laid as 
far as you think the roots of the trees extend ; and when it 
is rotted, it should be dug in, which will be of great service to 
them. 

Trees that are of very diflferent sizes when full groAvn 
should not be planted promiscuouslv ; but, if the soil be pro- 
perly adapted, plant the larger in the back part or higher ground, 
or at the North ends of the rows, if they run nearly North and 
South, and the others in succession according to their size. 
Fruit-trees planted in this manner will have a fine effect when 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he, 155 



grown up; but if they are planted promiscuously, they will not 
appear so agreeable to the eye ; and, besides, the smaller trees 
will be shaded by the larger, which will injure them, and spoil 
the flavour of the fruit. 

Orchards should be dunged once in two or three years. 
The stems of trees in those where catde feed should be high 
enough to prevent their eating the lower branches ; and fenced 
in such a manner as to prevent their being barked, or injured, 
by the cattle rubbing against them, particularly when young ; 
which may be done by triangles of wood, or the trees may be 
bushed with thorns, &c. The trees are to be pruned and man- 
aged as already directed for apples, pears, plums, &c. 

If the soil be wet, it must be drained, as already directed 
for a garden. When the surface of the ground is wet, and has 
a little descent, it may be formed into a kind of ridges, by mak- 
ing a furrow, from one foot to two feet deep, between every 
two rows, sloping the ground regularly on each side, from a 
reasonable distance to the bottom of the furrow. These hol- 
lows will carry off the water, and render the surface dry and 
healthy. If pasture, the turf may be first pared off, and after- 
wards re-laid when the furrow is made. 

In orchards, where cattle are not permitted to go, I would 
prefer dwarf-trees to standards, taking care to proportion the 
distance of the rows to the size of the trees. But in orchards 
kept for pasture it will be necessary to plant standards. 

Burning of rotten wood, weeds, potatoe haulm, wet straw, 
&c. on the windward side of the trees when they are in blos- 
som, will be found a good preservative from blights, caterpil- 
lars, &c. 

I would recommend washing the trees annually, in the 
month of February or March, with the following mixture, 
which will destroy the eggs of insects, and prevent moss from 
growing on the trunks and branches ; It will also help to nou- 
rish the tree, keeping the bark fine and healthy ; and will have 
the same effect on it as a top dressing has upon grass land*. 

Mix fresh cow-dung with urine and soap-suds, and with 
this mixture wash over the stems and branches of the trees, as 
a white-washer would wash the cieling or walls of a room ; 
taking care to cut off all the cankery parts, and to scrape off all 
the moss, before you lay the mixture on. In the course of the 
spring or summer, you will see a fine new bark coming on. 
When the old bark is cankery, you must pare it off with a draw- 

• This should never be neglected in America, where the insects are the 
l>ane of cultivation. 



156 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE &c. 



knife, or such a long knife as I have had made on purpose, es- 
pecially for wall-trees, where the draw-knife cannot be applied, 
next the wall. The knives and other tools for dressing decayed 
trees will be described hereafter^. When you see it necessary 
to take all the outer bark oiF, you must cover the stem, &c. with 
the composition and powder, patting it gently down, as in the 
case when large limbs are cut off. 

If the above wash be repeated in autumn, after the fall of 
the leaf, it will destroy the eggs of a great many insects that 
hatch in autumn and winter. This washing will be found of 
great service to all kinds of fruit and forest-trees whatever. 

t See plate 13. 



,( 155' ) 



CHAPTER XXV. 



OF GATHERING APPLES AND PEARS. 

The Time and Manner of Gathering them ; and of the Manage- 
ment of the Fruit-Room Of Packing Fruit for Carriage, 

As Apples shaken or beaten down with a poie never keep 
in winter, they ought all to be hand-picked, by a person stand- 
ing on steps made on purpose. 

The steps should be light, for convenience of moving from 
one place to another ; and so contrived, that the ladder may be 
disengaged from the back at pleasure ; which may easily be 
done if they are fastened together by a bolt at top. There 
should be a broad step at top to stand on, with room for the 
basket which is to hold the fruit. When you begin to gather 
the fruit, you should be provided with hand-baskets of different 
sizes, and also with large baskets, or hampers, and wheel-bar- 
rows. You must lay some short grass mowings, perfectly dry, 
(which you ought to provide for the purpose in summer, and 
keep in a shed or any other dry place till wanted) at the bot- 
toms of the large baskets and hampers^ to prevent the fruit from 
being bruised. 

Observe attentively when the apples and pears are ripe ; 
and do not pick them always at the same regular time of the 
year, as is the practice with many. A dry season will forward 
the ripening of fruit, and a wet one retard it ; so that there 
will sometimes be a month or five weeks difference in the 
proper time of gathering. The method that I have practised 
is, to observe when the fruit begins to fall (I do not mean what 
we call wind-falls, or the falling of such as are infested with 
the caterpillar, &c. but sound fruit), I then put my hand under 
it, and if it comes off without any force being used, I take it 
for granted that the fruit is perfectly ripe, unless the tree be 
sickly, which is easily known by the leaves or fruit being shri- 
veled. If the foregoing observations are attended to, the fruit 
will keep well and be plump, and not shriveled, as is the case 
with all fruit that is gathered before it is ripe. 

y 



158 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



The person on the steps should pick the fruit carefully, 
and lay it gently into the basket on the top of the steps ; for if 
it be in the least bruised it will not keep. For the same rea- 
son, great care must be taken in emptying the fruit out of the 
hand-baskets, when full, into the large baskets or hampers. If 
more than one large basket be wheeled at once, which may ge- 
nerally be done, the lower ones must not be so full as to let the 
bottom of the upper one touch the fruit. It will also be neces- 
sary to put some of the soft dry grass between the baskets, and 
also over the fruit in the upper basket. 

When the fruit begins to fall of itself, cover the ground 
under the tree with some of the short grass mowings, or if that 
cannot be procured, with some pease-haulm, or oat or barley- 
straw, quite dry, this will preserve the fruit from bruising when 
k drops ; the fruit which thus falls of itself should be laid up 
separate from, and used before that which is hand-picked, ac- 
cording to the season in which they are to be sent to the table. 
Should any be bruised by falling on one another, they should 
be thrown aside, as only fit for baking, or to be given to the 
pigs. 

When all the fruit is gathered in, rake off the short grass, 
&c, and throw it up to rot, or mix it up with dung, or leaves 
of trees ; for if it remain on the ground during the winter it will 
harbour slugs. 

When the bolt of the steps is taken out, and the ladder 
and back part separated, the ladder will then be fit to use in 
gathering fruit off wall-trees ; only it will be necessary to screw 
on the upper part of it two pieces of iron, or nail two pieces 
of ash or oak, about six or eight inches long, to keep it far 
enough from the wall to prevent the tree from sustaining any 
damage in the bark or branches ; which would infallibly bring 
on the canker. 

When the fruit is carried to the fruit-room, lay some of 
the dry short grass on the floor in the area of the room ; then 
take the fruit gently out of the baskets, and lay it in heaps on 
the top of the grass, keeping each sort in a separate heap ; the 
heaps may be from two to three feet high, or according to the 
quantity of fruit that you have. When the heaps are comple- 
ted, cover the tops at least two inches thick with short grass, 
in order to sweat them. Let them lie a fortnight, then open 
the heaps and turn them over, wiping each apple or pear with 
a dry woollen cloth, which should be frequently dried during 
the process, observing now to lay in the middle the fruit which 
before was at the top. Let the heaps now remain eight or ten 
4ays, covered as before ; by that time they will have thrown 



MANAGEMENT OF ERUIT TREES, &c. 159 



out the watery crudities which they may have imbibed during 
a wet season ; then uncover the heaps, and wipe the fruit care- 
fully one by one, as before, picking out every one that is in- 
jured, or has the least spot, as unfit for keeping. 

Fruit should be gathered, if possible, in dry weather, and 
when the dew is exhaled from off the trees ; and remember 
never to gather in the evening after the dew begins to fall. 

During the time that the fruit is sweating, the windows 
should be left open, except in wet and foggy weather, to ad- 
mit the air to carry off the moisture which perspires from the 
fruit. The perspiration will sometimes be so great, that on 
putting your hand into the heap, it will come out as wet as if it 
had been dipped into a pail of water : When in this state, it 
will be necessary to turn and wipe the fruit. 

In laying up fruit, the common practice has been to lay it 
on clean wheat straw ; but I find by experience, that when any 
of the fruit begins to decay, if it be not immediately picked 
out, the straw, by imbibing the moisture from the decayed 
fruit, will become tainted, and communicate a disagreeable 
taste to the sound fruit. 

I would likewise caution those who erect new shelves in 
their fruit-rooms, to have the timber well seasoned, and to 
make use of white deal in preference to red, as the latter, es- 
pecially if not very well seasoned, is apt to give a very disa- 
greeable risinous taste to the fruit, which quite spoils its fla- 
vour. I would, therefore, recommend covering the bottoms 
of the shelves with thin coarse canvas (such as may be pur- 
chased for about eight or ten pence a yard), on which the fruit 
should be laid in a single layer, after being wiped perfectly dry ; 
but by no means lay them a-top of one another. When that 
is done, cover them with a piece of the same canvas, or thin 
flannel, or with old newspapers, or whitish brown paper, which 
will in a great measure exclude the air, prevent the frost from 
injuring the fruit, and preserve a beautiful smoothness on its 
skin. The fruit should be turned two or three times during 
the winter ; as delicate and tender fruit, by lying long without 
turning, is apt to rot on the underside, even if perfectly sound 
when laid up. Be particularly careful, however, to pick out 
all the damaged fruit. 

When the fruit is laid in, put the earliest sorts on the lower 
shelves, or in the lower drawers, according to the time of com- 
ing in, beginning with the Nonesuch, Golden Rennet, and 
Jenneting Apples, and Bergamot and Beurre Pears (for I find 
by experience, that the Jargonelle keeps best on the tree, as, if 



160 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



gathered, it rots almost immediately); thus, by proper manage- 
ment, you may have a constant succession of fruit from one. 
season to the other. 

When there are large quantities of fruit, it will require a 
great deal of time to lay it on the shelves, &c. this business 
may therefore be done in wet weather, or in the evenings, when 
you cannot conveniently spare your men from the out door work 
in the day time. 

Those who keep their fruit in store-houses, for the supply 
of the London and other markets, as well as those who have 
not proper fruit-rooms, may keep their apples and pears in bas- 
kets or hampers ; putting some soft paper in the bottoms and 
round the edges of the baskets, &c. to keep the fruit from be- 
ing bruised ; then put in a layer of fruit, and over that another 
layer of paper ; and so on, a layer of fruit and of paper alter- 
nately, till the basket or hamper be full : Cover the top with 
paper three or four times double, to exclude the air and frost as 
much as possible. Every different sort of fruit should be pack- 
ed separately ; and it will be proper to fix a label to each basket 
or hamper, with the name of the fruit that it contains, and the 
time of its being fit for use. 

But the best way of keeping fruit is, to pack it In glazed 
earthen jars. The pears or apples must be separately wrapped 
up in soft paper, then put a little well dried bran in the bottom 
of the jar, and over the bran a layer of fruit ; then a little more 
bran to fill up the interstices between the fruit, and to cover it; 
and so on, a layer of fruit and of bran alternately, till the jar 
be full ; then shake it gently, which will make the fruit and 
bran sink a little ; fill up the vacancy at top with more bran, 
and lay some paper over it, covering the top with a piece of 
bladder to exclude the air ; then put on the top or cover of the 
jar, observing that it fits as closely as possible. These jars 
should be kept in a room where you can have a fire in wet or 
damp weather. 

Of Packing Fruit for Carriage, 
If fruit be to be sent to any considerable distance, great 
care should be taken in packing it, which should not be in bas- 
kets, as they are liable to be bruised among heavy luggage, and 
the fruit, of course, will be injured. I would, therefore, re- 
commend boxes made of strong deal, of different sizes accord- 
ing to the quantity of fruit to be packed. The following are the 
dimensions of the boxes in which we send fruit by the coach to 
Windsor and Weymouth, for the use of his Majesty and the 
Royal family, viz. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c, 181 



The larger box is two feet long, fourteen inches broad, 
and the same in depth. The smaller box is one foot nine inches 
long, one foot broad, and the same deep. These boxes are 
made of inch deal, and well secured with three iron clamps at 
each corner ; they have two small iron handles, one at each 
end, by which they are fastened to the roof of the coach : In 
these boxes we send melons, currants, pears, peaches, necta- 
rines, plums, and grapes, packed so as always to have the heavi- 
est fruit at bottom. The melons are wrapped up in soft paper, 
the pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, and grapes, are first wrap« 
ped up in vine leaves, and then in paper. The cherries and 
currants are packed in a flat tin box, one foot four inches long, 
ten inches broad, and four deep. 

In packing proceed thus : First put a layer of fine long 

dry moss in the bottom of the tin box, then a layer of currants 
or cherries, then another layer of moss ; and so on, alternately 
fruit and moss, until the box is so full, that when the lid is hasp- 
ed down the fruit may be so firmly packed as to preserve theru 
from friction. 

Make a layer of fine moss and short soft dry grass, well 
mixed, in the bottom of the deal box ; then pack in the melons 
with some of the same, packing it tight in between all the rows, 
and also between the melons, in the same row, till you have 
finished the layer ; choosing the fruit as nearly of a size as 
possible, filling up every interstice with the moss and grass. 
When the melons are packed, lay a thin layer of moss and grass 
over them, upon which place the tin box with the currants, 
packing it firmly all round with moss to prevent it from shaking; 
then put a thin layer of moss over the box, and pack the pears 
firmly (but so as not to bruise them) on that layer, in the same 
manner as the melons ; and so on with the peaches, nectarines^ 
plums, and lastly, the grapes, filling up the box with moss, that 
the lid may shut down so tight as to prevent any friction among 
the fruit. The boxes should have locks, and two keys, which 
may serve for them all ; each of the persons who pack and un- 
pack the fruit having a key. 

The moss and grass should always be returned in the 
boxes, which, with a little addition, will serve the whole season^ 
being shaken up and well aired after each journev, and keeping 
it sweet and clean. After the wooden box is locked, it will be 
necessary to cord it firmly. 

My reason for being so particular on packing of fruit is, 
that I have known instances of its being totally spoiled in the 
carriage from improper packings 



162 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c. 



By pursuing the above method we have never failed of 
success ; and if fruit be packed according to the foregoing di- 
rections, it may be sent to the farthest parts of the kingdom, by 
coaches or waggons, with perfect safety. 



( 163 ) 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



OF THE CANKER AND GUM. 

A Description of the Canker; its Origin and Progress,»,»»Full 
Directions for Curing it„.»Of the Gum and its Remedy, 

TThE Canker is a disease incident to trees, which occasions 
the bark to grow rough and scabbj', and turns the wood affect- 
ed to a rusty brown colour. This disease, if no remedy be ap- 
plied, will in time totally kill the tree. 

Apple-trees are very liable to be infected with the canker 
from the following causes, viz. 

From injudicious pruning, from the foot-stalks of the fruit 
being left on the trees, and from injuries sustained by applying 
ladders in gathering the fruit; these injuries are very hurtful 
to the tree, and will infallibly bring on the canker when no re- 
medy is applied. A man ought to stand on steps, instead of a 
ladder, when the fruit is out of his reach from the ground. 
Care should also be taken in nailing, that the shreds be not 
too tight, which causes a swelling in the shoot, and very often 
produces the canker. 

Another cause of the canker is, when we have very wet 
autumns, such as that of 1799, which prevents the young wood 
from ripening, and a hard frost setting in after it kills the young 
ghoots ; these, if left on the tree, will bring on the canker, and 
increase it rapidly. Birds and insects devouring the buds will 
have the same effect. 

Careless people frequently leave the dead shoots on the 
tree throughout the summer, which will infallibly bring on the 
canker. Some even leave them for years, until the tree is to- 
tally killed. They should be cut off in the end of April, or be- 
ginning of May ; as by that time you will be able to see how 
far the disease has advanced. I would advise to cut two or 
three buds, or even more, below the apparently diseased part, 
as the canker frequently reaches a great way farther in the heart 
of the shoot than it appears to do on the outside ; you must cut 
down till the bi^own colour in the shoot disappears, and nothing 
remains but sound white wood. 



164 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



The truth of the foregoing observations will appear evi- 
dent to any person who takes notice of the apple-trees with 
their mutilated stag-looking heads, as he rides or walks along 
the road. 

It is a general opinion, that the canker in all trees proceeds 
from the nature of the ground in which they are planted \ such 
as a sour clay, a shingly or gravely soil, &c. 

My late and much esteemed friend Mr. Hudson, author 
of the ^ Flora Anglica', was of this opinion, till I convinced him 
of the contrary by some experiments made at Nutwell, near 
Exeter, the seat of the late Sir Francis Drake, a gentleman 
very fond of gardening and agriculture. Mr. Hudson said, it 
would be to no purpose to make any attempt to cure the apple- 
trees, as the ground was of such a nature as to bring on the 
canker. The trees were, indeed, in a sad condition, being 
covered all over with lichens and moss, and very much in- 
fected with the canker. I requested Mr. Hudson to fix on 
some of the worst ; we then desired the gardener to open the 
ground round their roots, which we found perfectly sound, the 
bark of them smooth, and not the least appearance of the can- 
ker to be seen. 

The canker, as before observed, proceeds from bruises in 
the bark, from limbs cut off, &c. When these limbs begin to 
rot and grow hollow, they convey the canker to the root; for 
it always proceeds from the branches and stem to the roots, and 
never from the roots to the tree. 

It is granted, however, that all fruit-trees love a fine rich 
mellow loam, and thrive much better in it than in a shingly or 
gravely soil. 

When by accident, or improper treatment, trees receive 
large wounds, and the cure is left to nature, they are frequently 
overrun with gum and canker, which, if not checked, will in 
a short time totally ruin them. 

In this case you must carefully pare off, with a draw-knife, 
or any other convenient instrument, all the diseased part of 
the bark. The inner white bark is frequently infected ; this 
must also be cut away till no appearance of infection remains. 
The infection in the inner bark appears like dots made with a 
pen, all of which must be cut clean out ; for, if any part of 
the canker be left, it v/ill infect the new wood and bark. 
Wherever vou see gum oozing out, you may rest assured that 
the canker is not quite eradicated ; which, if suffered to remain, 
will spread till the whole tree becomes a mass of gum and can- 
ter, and will be killed in a very short time. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he. 165 



When the trunk is become hollow, cut the loose rotten 
part clean out till you come to the sound wood, taking care to 
round the edges of the hollow part; then apply the composition 
in a liquid state, laying it on with a painter's brush wherever 
the cankered bark has been pared off or the dead wood cut 
Qut, till these places are entirely covered with it: When that 
is done, shake some of the powder of wood-ashes and burnt 
bones over the composition, and pat it gently down with your 
hand. [See the chapter On the Making and laying on of the 
Composition.'] 

If the foregoing directions he carefully followed, the can- 
ker will be completely eradicated, and the hollow trunk in 
time be filled up with sound wood. 

When the stem is much decayed, it will be absolutely ne- 
cessary to open the ground, examine the roots, and cut off 
^11 the rotten parts. When you have cut out all the rotten and 
decayed parts below ground, and scraped the hollow clean, 
make up a mass of the composition mixed with some clay, 
like what is used for grafting then fill the hollow part with it 
to within about two inches of the surface of the ground, treadl- 
ing it in with your foot, or pressing it in with the hand, as close 
as you possibly can, to prevent the wet from penetrating to 
the roots, and leave the surface of the composition sloping 
from the tree towards the outside of the border, to throw the 
wet off, which will prevent the fresh part of the root from rot- 
ting ; then cover the root over with mould level with the rest 
of the border. 

When you have examined all the old wounds where large 
limbs have been cut off, you should next examine the old bark ; 
and, if you find the outside of it wrinkled and cracked, pare 
it off, as it is always, when in that state, very much hurt by 
the canker. This should be done with the draw-knife, or 
other sharp instrument ; then apply the composition as before 
directed, which will bring on a fine smooth bark under it. In 
the succeeding winter, or spring, you will see all the plaster, 
with the old part of the bark that was left in the hollow parts of 
the tree, or where old branches had been amputated, peeling 
off and shewing the smooth bark t^nderneath. You should then 
scrape off, with a wooden or hone knife, what old bark remains 
in the hollows where the draw-knife could not reach without 
cutting too much away. When that is done, mix up some 
fresh cow-dung with soap-suds and urine, making it very thin, 
and give the tree a coat of this mixture all over where the 
bark has been scraped off: The cow-dung will adhere to it^ 
and heal the parts where you were obliged to scrape to the in^ 

z 



166 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



r.er bark. This wash will remain till the fresh bark comes on ; 
then it will be discharged of itself during the summer, or the 
next spring, leaving a new fresh smooth bark where the old 
and cankerv was taken olf. Next spring, if any of the old 
bark remains, vou may repeat the same operation, w^hich \vill 
cause all the remaining old bark to slough oil like a scab from a 
wound on the human body. 

By these means you will keep your trees in a fine flourish- 
ing healthy state, and, in general, prevent them from becom- 
ing bark-bound. If any of them-, notwithstanding, should 
be bark-bound, you must scarify them, by taking a sharp 
knife, and running the point of it straight dowm the middle 
of the stem from top to bottom ; taking care to run your knife 
through the outer bark only ; then, v/ith a brush, or your finger, 
rub in some of the composition, to prevent the incision from 
bringing on the canker. This operation will cause the tree to 
expand the bark and become very flourishing. 

Remember to cutoff all the ends of the small shoots w^here 
the canker had injured them last year. Cut off also the old 
fruit-stalks, and all the small dead stubs, which, if left, ne- 
ver fail to bring on the canker. 

The rough or cankery bark on that side of trees which is 
next the wall should be scraped or pared off with a tool made 
in the form of a sickle, which, wuth other tools, will be described 
hereafter. 

It is much to be regretted, that fruit-trees in general 
throughout this kingdom are in a mutilated unfruitful state. 
After gentlemen have purchased the young trees from nurse- 
ries, and planted them in their orchards and gardens, they think 
every thing necessary is done ; when, in fact, the greater part 
of the work is yet to come. In packing and carriage, the stems 
and branches are very frequently bruised ; in that case, the 
injured parts of the bark and wood must be carefully cut out, 
and the composition immediately applied : This may be done 
when you head the trees, which operation should be performed 
in April, May, or even June, when the bud begins to shoot ; but 
by no means cut off any of the shoots, except those that are 
broken or bruised very much. When this is neglected, the 
canker will follow^, to the great injury, if not the death of the 
trees. How common is it to see, in all parts of the country, 
great numbers of trees so affected w^ith this disease as not to 
produce fruit enough in tw^elve or fourteen years to pay half 
the expence attending them ! Whereas, if they were to be ma- 
naged according to the foregoing directions, ti^ey would more 
than pay all the expence in three years. It is common, when 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 167 



young trees do not thrive, either to blame the nurserymen for 
sending bad or diseased trees, or to attribute their unthriving 
state to the nature of the soil ; whereas the fact is, that this 
frequently arises from the inattention or mismanagement of 
the person who plants and superintends them. If the injured 
and diseased parts be not cut out at an early period, the trees 
will not thrive, but will become cankery and stunted, and can- 
not be recovered afterwards without a great deal of labour 
and trouble ; whereas, if the directions given for heading 
trees the first year, and cutting out the diseased parts, be at- 
tended to the trees will flourish, and bear large crops of fine 
and well-flavoured fruit. 

The Gum, 

The Gum is a kind of gangrene incident to fruit-trees of 
the stone kind, and arises from the following causes ; From 
injudicious pruT^ing, from bruises, or any injuries received in 
the wood or bark. This may happen from strokes of the ham- 
mer in nailing, from pinching the shoots by nailing the shreds 
too tight, or by driving the nails too close to the branches. It 
may also be occasioned by leaving the foot-stalks of the fruit, 
or by pruning in sumnner and cutting the shoots to short stumps, 
and by injuries sustained by a careless application of ladders 
in nailing and gathering the fruit, &c. but it particularly ori- 
ginates where large limbs have been lopped or broken off. 
This disease maybe known before the gum itself makes its ap- 
pearance. The bark at first becomes of a brownish colour, 
which gradually grows darker, till at last the gum begins to 
ooze out like little blisters. As soon as any of these symp- 
toms are observed, the infected part should be cut out with 
a sharp instrument, and the composition and powder applied 
immediately. You must observe to cut out the gum per- 
fectly clean ; you will see it oozing out from between the wood 
and bark: This must be followed till you come to the white 
clean bark and wood. If afterwards any gum should make its 
appearance, it must be scraped off ; which is best done when 
it is moistened with rain, as you can then scrape it off easily 
without hurting the bark. This must be done without delay, 
otherwise the disease will rapidly advance. 

When trees are hollow, it will be necessary to examine 
them carefully to see whether any grubs have entered the bark 
and wood, which you will know by their perforating the bark. 
If there be any, they must be carefully cut out before the com- 
position is applied. 



C 168 ) 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



OF THE MILDEW, HONEYDEW, AND BLIGHTSc 

A Description of the 3£ldtxvy and a Remedy for it, ..Of the Honeys 
dexv and its Remedy. ...A Description of different sorts of 
Blights, and the best Means of presenting them. 



OF THE MILDEW* 

X HE mildew, a disease very hurtful to plants, is a kind of 
thick clammy moisture, which falls on, or rather transpires from 
the leaves and blossoms of plants. This clammy substance, by 
Stopping up the pores, prevents perspiration, and hinders the 
growth of the plant. But what is commonh' called mildew is 
an insect which is frequently found in vast numbers feeding 
upon this moisture. Mr. T. S. Segar, in a treatise upon this 
subject says, that the mildew is of a very sharp corrosive na- 
ture, and by its acrimony hinders the circulation of the nutri- 
tious sap ; in consequence of which the leaves begin to fade, 
and the blossoms and fruit are greatly injured. 

I have observed that, contrary to the common opinion, 
trees are more liable to mildew on South and West walls, than 
on an East wail; and I have frequently removed such trees 
from a South or West wall, to a North or East wall, where 
they have perfectly recovered. 

Whenever you apprehend danger, wash or sprinkle the 
trees with urine and lime-water mixed ; and when the young 
?.nd tender shoots are much infected, it will be necessary to 
wash them well with a woollen cloth dipped in the following 
mixture, so as to clear them of all the glutinous matter, that 
their respiration and perspiration may not be obstructed. 

Take tobacco one pound, sulphur two pounds, unslaked 
lime one peck, and about a pound of elder buds ; pour on the 
above ingredients ten gallons of boiling water ; cover it close, 
and let it stand till cold ; then add as much cold water as will 
fill a hogshead. It should stand two or three days to settle, 
then take off the scum, and it is fit for use. 



Treatise on the culture &c. i69 



Of the Honeydew. 

The honeydew is a sweet saccharine substance found on 
ihe leaves of certain trees, and is generally supposed to fall 
from Heaven like dew, but this is a mistaken opinion. One 
kind of honeydew transpires from the leaves of the trees where 
it is found, and the other is the excrement of a small insect 
called a vine fretter, a species of aphis. Bees and ants are very 
fond of both these kinds of honeydew. 

As the honeydew by its viscous quality, closes up the 
pores, and stops the perspiration of trees, it must of course be 
very hurtful to them. This disease should be treated in the 
earne manner as the mildew ; but as has been already observed, 
trees should be watered, or washed, early enough in the day to 
get dry before the cold of the night comes on ; nor should it be 
done while the sun shines very hot, which would be likely to 
scorch the blossoms and leaves. 

Of Blights, 

Blights are very destructive to fruit-trees, sometimes de- 
stroying the whole tree ; but more frequently the leaves and 
blossoms, while the tree itself remains unhurt. 

One cause of the blight is, the continuance of a dry East- 
erly wind for several days together, which stops the perspira- 
tion in the tender blossom ; and a long continuance of the same 
weather equally aifects the tender leaves, causing them to wi- 
ther and decay, the perspiring matter is thereby rendered thick 
and glutinous, and so becomes food for those small insects 
which are always found in vast numbers on fruit-trees that are 
affected by this sort of blight. 

These insects, however, are not the original cause as some 
imagine, but the natural consequence of blights ; for wherever 
they meet with such a proper nutriment they multiply amazing- 
ly, and greatly promote the distemper when no method is taken 
to prevent it. 

The best remedy for this distemper that I know of is, to 
wash them with urine and soap-suds, as before directed ; and 
the sooner this is performed, whenever we apprehend danger, 
the better ; if the young and tender shoots seem to be much 
infected, wash them with a woollen cloth dipped in the same 
liquid that is recommended for the mildew. 

Another cause of blights in the spring will be found in 
sharp hoary frosts, which are often succeeded by hot sun-shine 
in the day time ; these are certain and sudden destruction to 
the fruit. Sharp pinching frosty mornings, which often happen 
when the trees are in flower, or while the fruit is very young, 



170 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



occasion the blossoms or fruit to drop off, and sometimes greatly 
injure the tender shoots and leaves. 

The only method yet found out to prevent this mischief is, 
the carefully covering the walls with netting, &c. as before di- 
rected*. The covering is to remain on during the night, and 
to be taken off in the day-time. This method has been reckon- 
ed of little service by some, vdiich, indeed, may be the case 
when the coverings are not properly used ; for, if the trees are 
kept too long co\'ered, the young branches and leaves v/iil be 
so weak as not to be able to bear the open air when they are ex- 
posed to it. 

The same consequences will follow when the trees are in- 
cautiously exposed to the air after having been long covered. 

But if the covering be properly performed, it will frequent- 
ly preserve the fruits under it, when there happens almost a 
general failure in the neighbourhood where this precaution has 
been neglected. The great trouble which seems to attend it may 
deter many from putting it in practice ; yet if the nettings, or 
other coverings, be so contrived as to draw up and let down 
by means of puUies, the business may be done with ease and 
expedition ; and the success attending it, will make ample 
amends. 

But what is called a blight, is frequently no more than a 
weakness or distemper in trees. This is the case when trees 
against the same vv^all and enjoying the same advantages in every 
respect, differ greatly in their health and vigour, the weak ones 
appearing to be continually blighted, while the others remain 
in a flourishing condition. This very great difterence, in such 
circumstances, can be attributed only to the different constitu- 
tions of the trees, proceeding from a want of proper nourish- 
ment, or from some bad qualities in the soil, some distemper 
in the stock, buds, or cions, or from mismanagement in the 
pruning, &:.c. all of which are productive of distempers in trees, 
of which they are with difficulty cured. 

If die fault be in the soil, it must be dug out, and fresh 
mould put in its place ; or the trees must be taken up, and others 
better adapted to the soil planted in their room. It Avill be 
found absolutely necessary always to endeavour to suit the par- 
ticular sorts of fruits to the nature of the soil; for it is in vain 
to expect all sorts of fruit to be good in the same soil. 

If the weakness of the tree proceed from an inbred dis- 
temper it will be advisable to remove it at once, and, after re- 
newing the earth, to plant another in its place. 



* Page 9, 10, 37. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TF.EES, &c. 171 



But if the weakness has been brought on by ill manage- 
ment in the pruning, which is frequently the case, I would ad- 
vise the method of pruning and training which is laid down in 
this treatise to be adopted without loss of time. 

How common is it to see the young luxuriant branches 
trained up to their full length every year, and so carried to the 
top of the wall in a very short time ! By which the fruit-bearing 
branches are robbed of a great part of their nourishment, which 
weakens them so much that they have not strength to produce 
fruit; but the blossoms fall off, andnot unfrequently the branches 
decay, sometimes even the whole length, and this is ascribed 
to a blast ! Luxuriant shoots should be stopped, and all super- 
fluous wood should be cut out : Otherwise they will exhaust a 
great part of the nourishment which should go to the support 
of the fruit-bearing branches. 

There is another sort of blight that sometimes happens 
pretty late in the spring, viz. in April and May, which is ver)^ 
destructive to fruit-trees in orchards and open plantations, and 
Jigainst which we know of no effectual remedy. This is what 
is called a fire-blast, which in a few hours hath not only destroy- 
ed the fruit and leaves, but often parts of trees, and sometimes 
entire trees have been killed by it. 

This is generally thought to be occasioned by certain 
transparent flying vapours, which may sometimes take such 
forms as to converge the sun's rays in the manner of a burning- 
glass, so as to schorch the plants they fall upon, and this in a 
greater or less degree in proportion to their convergency. 
As this generally happens in close plantations, where the va- 
pours from the earth, and the perspirations from the trees, 
are pent in for want of a free circulation of air to disperse 
them, it points out to us the only way yet known of guarding 
against this enemy to fruits ; namely, to make choice of a clear 
healthy situation for kitchen gardens, orchards, &c. and to 
plant the trees at such a distance as to give free admission to 
the air, that it may dispel those vapours before they are form- 
ed into such volumes as to occasion these blasts. 

But blasts may also be occasioned by the reflection of the 
sun's rays from hollow clouds, which sometimes act as burn- 
ing mirrors, and occasion excessive heat. Against this there 
1 is no remedy. 



( ) 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



OF INSECTS, &c. 

Of the different Sorts of Insects infesting Fruit-Trees., and the 
Method of Destroying them..., How to Preserve Fruit fron\ 
Birds ; and Destroying Rats and Mice. 



OF THE APHIS*, 

Aphides, or piant-L ice, are a very numerous and de= 

structive tribe ot insects. Entomologists enumerate 75 species 
of them ; but probably there are many more, as every tree in- 
fested by them has a distinct species ; and Linnaeus names 
them from the different trees that they live upon ; as the Cur- 
rant Aphis, the Plum Aphis, the Cherry Aphis, &c. The males, 
which are very few in comparison of the females, have wings ; 
but the females are apterous, or without v/ings. 

Aphides are devoured by the larva of the Myrmeleon 
Formicarius, or ant-eater, of Linnaeus. Ants are likewise 
very fond of them, on account of a sweet liquor which they 
eject from the anus. Aphides are extremely common. 

Fruit-trees are frequently very much infested with differ- 
ent species of the aphis ; the plum, in particular, suffers great- 
ly by them. Those which I have most frequently found on 
plums are, the brown, the green, and the light sea-green 
aphis ; but, as before observed, different sorts of trees gene- 
rally have different species of aphides. Great care should be 
taken to destroy these pernicious insects at as early a period 
of their growth as possible ; otherwise they will consume the 
leaves and fruit for that season. The best method that I have 
found for this purpose is, to take some fine wood-ashes mixed 
with one-third part of fine unslaked lime, and throw it on with 
a common dredging-box, till you have covered the undersides 
of all the leaves where you find the insects : This should be 

* Those who wish for farther information respecting insects, may con= 
suit Reaumur's History of Insects, 



I TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, &c, 173 

ilone In the morning early while the dew is on the leaves, 
which will cause the powder to adhere to them ; letting them 
remain so covered with the powdered lime for three or four 
days. Then mix unslaked lime and soft water, or water that 
has been exposed to the sun a week at least, at the rate of half 
a peck to thirty-two gallonsj and stir it well two or three times 
a day for three or four davs. If you have many trees that are 
ini^cted Vt^ith inse6ls5 mix up a large quantity in the same pro- 
portion as the above. I generally mix as much at once as will 
fill a cistern*" about seven feet long by three and a half broad, 
and three feet deep, and that contains about 550 gallons, which, 
according to the foregoing proportion, requires about two 
bushels and half a peck of lime. With this liquid, after the 
lime has subsided, give the trees a good watering, observing 
to throw a considerable part of it under the leaves, by a bar- 
row engine ; this should be repeated once a day, for six days, 
which will destroy all the aphides. The engine that I would 
recommend is that of the late Mr. Winlav,^'s construction, 
which may be had of Messrs. Chieslie and Yowle, No. 73, 
Margaret Street, Cavendish Square. 

If you find the insects begin to make their appearance 
again, apply the powder as before directed^ and repeat the wa- 
tering. 

Particular Directions for using the Lime-Water. 

Take the clear water after the lime has settled, fill the en^ 
gine with it, and give the trees a good watering, throwing it 
with as much force as you can under the leaves ^ pressing your 
fore-finger over the mouth of the pipe to spread the water like 
the falling of small rain, which you may very easily do, at the 
same time wheeling the engine backwards and forwards, that 
no part of the tree be missed. This should be done in cloudy 
weather, or when the sun is off the walL If the trees are on 
an East wall, you may begin to water them about half past 
eleven o'clock ; if on a North v/all, you may water them the 
first thing you do in the morning ; and if on a South wall, at 
four o'clock in the afternoon ; repeating the watering for at least 
six days successively. But if there be cold Northerly and 
Easterly winds, or frosty nights, the watering should be dis- 
continued till the weather is milder. 

Be always careful that your trees get dry before night, 
and be sure never to water when the sun is on them j nor 

* If it be a leaden cistern, a little loam, enough to cover the bottom, 
must be thrown in, and then trod down, before the lime and water are pu^t, 
in : The loam will prevent the lime from corroding the ir.etal. 



174 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



1/et water them with the grounds of the lime, which will 
make the trees look very unsightly, and also injure the leaves. 

When aphides are numerous at the ends of the shoots, the 
leaves there will be curled up ; these should be all stript off, and 
the insects crushed with the foot. 

Of the Acarus. 

The Acarus, or Red Spider, is one of the most de- 
structive insects that can infest plants, particularly in forcing- 
houses. 

These insects have no wings, and the female is oviparous. 

There are no less than 82 species of this genus. The 
acarus is very common on trees, particularly the currant, on 
the fruit of which it is frequently seen running. 

These insects attack the vines, nectarines, peaches, and 
cherries ; and forced French beans are very subject to their 
depredations, as are also peaches and nectarines on the natural 
wall, in hot weather. Melons in frames are very much in- 
fested with them. I once saw a ridge of melons, of seventy 
lights, so much injured by them, that when the fruit was full- 
grown, it v/as good for nothing, and the stems and leaves 
were completely exhausted of their moisture by these insects 
feed'ng on them. They are equally hurtful to most exotics in 
hot-houses. 

The best thing that I know for destroying these perni- 
cious insects is moistLire ; which will also destroy many other in- 
sects in hot-houses. 

Frequent watering of wall-trees, standards, &c. with lime- 
water (the making and using of which is described in the di- 
rections for destroying the aphis), and throwing it plenti- 
fully on the underside of the leaves, where the acarus is ge- 
nerally found, will in a short time extirpate that destructive 
insect. 

For plants, &c. in hot-houses, I would recommend using 
water only, and in the following manner: 

Between three andrfour o'clock in the afternoon, fill the 
barrow engine with soft water, or such as has been exposed to 
the sun all day and wheel it along the foot-paths of the house, 
where they are wide enough to admit it, and sprinkle all the 
plants, pressing your finger on the top of the pipe to spread 
the water like a fine shower of rain, playing also against the top 
lights and shelves till the water stands an inch deep in the paths 
of the housed. If you cannot conveniently get the engine into 

* I hare lately seen a small copper engine, made by Mr. Philips, engine- 
maker, Blackfriars road, which answers very well, when a barrow engine 
Uiiiipot be got into the house. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, he, 17M 



tKe house, open the front lights, or when there are no front 
lights, slide down the top lights, and throw the water in it at 
the front or top. When you begin this operation, if in the in«> 
side, every light must be shut ; and if you throw the water in 
at the front, you must keep only one light open, which shut 
immediately when you have sufficiently watered that part of the 
house opposite to it ; and, then opening another light, proceed 
as before ; and so on, till the whole is properly watered. The 
house must then be kept close shut till next morning ; this will 
cause such an exhalation from the glass, tan, (if there are any 
tan-beds in the house,) &c. that the plants will be covered all 
over with the vapour; which will infallibly destroy the cocci ^ 
aphides, and other insects ; but the watering must be repeated 
every afternoon, during hot weather only. By this you will 
also save a great deal of labour in watering ; but such plants as 
require much watering should be watered before you begin to 
sprinkle the house. Before morning the plants will have im- 
billed all the moisture, and the paths will be perfectly dry. 

;i When I lived at the Botanic Gardens, Chelsea, I observed, 
in hard winters, when we were obliged to keep strong fires in 
the stoves night and day, that the plants which stood on shelves 
in the dry stoves were so scorched up that the leaves used to 
drop off, as from deciduous trees in autumn, which gave them 
a very disagreeable appearance. This induced me to consider 
what could be done to prevent it ; when the following method 
occurred to me : About eight in the morning, when the sun 
shone out, and there was the appearance of a fine day, I threw 
in water till it covered the floor, which was of tile, from one to 
two inches deep, and kept the house shut the whole of the day, 
unless the thermometer rose to about eighty degrees^ which 
seldom happens at that season of the year j in that case, I open- 
ed the door to admit a little air. By the middle of the day, 
the water was entirely exhaled, and the floor perfectly dry* 
This 1 used to repeat two or three times a week, in sunny wea- 
ther ; the plants in about a week's time began to throw out 
their foliage, and in a fortnight or three weeks they were in 
full leaf. This success induced me to take the same method 
with the tan stoves and other houses in summer, when troubled 
with insects ; and I had the satisfaction to find that it had the 
desired efl'ect. 

Of the Acanis on Melons, 

As we are now treating of insects, although it may look 
like a departure from my original plan, I hope that some in- 
structions for destroying the red spider on melons will not be 
unacceptable. 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE ANDl 



Melons, in dry weather, and with a dry heat, are very apt 
to be infested with the red spider ; and you may always ob- 
serve the symptoms long before you can see these insects with 
the naked eye, by the leaves curling and cracking in the middle» 
Whenever you observe them in that state, in fine warm sunny- 
weather, I would recommend watering them all over the leaves 
from a watering pot with a rose, or an engine, about six in the 
morning ; and about eight o'clock shade them with mats, if the 
sun shines, and shut the frames close down till about eleven ; 
then admit a small quantity of air, letting the mats remain till 
about three in the afternoon, when they should be taken off. 
Shading with mats will prevent the leaves from being scorched 
by the sun while they are wet. If the wind be South or South 
West, I would recommend watering them again about three 
in the afternoon, shutting them up close to keep the heat in, 
which will cause a strong exhalation, and destroy the spiders, 
as they by no means love moisture. In watering, throw as 
much as possible on the underside of the leaves, where the 
insect generally lodges ; the vines may be gently turned, taking 
very great care not to hurt them ; by which means you can 
easily throw the water all over the underside of the leaf ; which 
must be done in a gentle shower from the engine, or from a 
watering-pot with a rose, so as not to wash up the mould on 
the plants, at the same time throw great plenty of water on the 
lights and sides of the boxes. After you have done watering, 
lay the vines gently down again in their former position. If a 
sunny day, kt the mats remain as before directed until the leaves 
of the plants are perfectly dry, admitting air according to the 
heat of the day. 

Before the frames and lights are used, I would recommend 
washing them well, both inside and out ; first, with clean wa- 
ter, and then with soap-suds and urine mixed; using a brush 
or woollen rag in the washing ; this will kill the eggs of the 
spiders and other insects that may have been deposited the 
preceding season. 

When the ridges are fit for putting the mould on for the 
hills to plant the melons in, it should be from a foot to fifteen 
inches deep, and the rest of the bed should be covered with 
light mould, or rotten leaves, about one inch deep to keep 
down the steam. Take care not to make the hills too broad at 
first (a v/heel-barrow full and a half will be enough for one hill), 
and observe that the heat is not too great, which will burn the 
mould and the roots of the plants. You will know when the 
beds are of a fine temperate heat, from sticks stuck in at differ- 
ent parts of the bed, by the feel of your hand, and the sticks 
having a pleasant sweet smell. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 177 



It will be very proper to water the hills, with a watering- 
pot having a rose, once a day for two or three days before you 
put in the plants, keeping the lights shut, which will destroy 
anv eggs of the spider that may yet remain in the crevices of 
the boxes and lights. 

I'he day on which you mean to put in the plants, vou should 
give the beds a great deal of air, to let out the steam that has 
been penned in ; then turn over the hills, and put in your plants 
about three o'clock in the afternoon, making a hollow circle 
round the bottom of each hill, to separate the mould of the 
hills from that on the bed, which will suifer the steam to eva- 
porate more easily; then watering the plants, shut them down 
till next morning, admitting air according to the heat of your 
bed, taking care not to give too much till your plants are well 
rooted in the hills, which will be in a couple of days; it will 
also be necessary to shade them, in the heat of the day, to prevent 
the plants from flagging. 

In cold frosty weather, you must by no means sprinkle the 
plants, as the frost in the night will infallibly bring on the 
canker. 

Soft water should be used in sprinkling, or such as has 
been exposed several days to the sun. If the water be very 
hard, put some wood-ashes into it, and stir it up two or three 
times a day, it will be fit for use in the course of two days ; 
let the ashes subside, and use the clear water only. 

If your melons have been infested with the spider in the 
preceding year, by no means use any of the mould again. 

Of the Coccus, 

The Coccus is a genus of insects belonging to the order 
Hemiptera, whose males have wings, but the females have 
none. 

The most common insects of this genus are those vrhich 
attach themselves to peach, nectarine, and pear-trees ; and 
when full grown they have somewhat the appearance of a boat 
with the keel turned uppermost. These are apparently with- 
out feet, eyes, or other members, while in this state ; and so 
much resemble some kinds of galls, or excrescences of the 
bark, as frequently to be taken for such. A thin film of a whit^ 
cotton-like substance is interposed between the flat part of the 
body and the tree. This is common, in a greater or lesser 
quantity, to all the species, and appears at first all round the 
edge as a kind of cement to join it to the tree. 

The males are very few in proportion to the females, and 
not nearly one fourth of their size j they are beautiful little flies. 



irs TREATISE ON THE CULTURE ANU 



which, after a short, but active life, terminate their existence 
without having tasted food, being provided with no sort of or-^ 
gans for that purpose. 

Peach, nectarine, and pear-trees, are very much infested 
with these insects : They frequently cut through the bark, and 
the trees then appear as if they had been scratched by cats. 
I have seen some trees with this appearance all over them^. 

When these insects first appear on the bark, they should be 
scraped off with a wooden knife, and the stem and branches of 
the tree washed with soap-suds and urine, applied with a stiff 
painter's brush. This should be done in February, before the 
buds begin to come out. But if the outer bark is perforated, 
it must be cut or pared off with a long knife ; and if you find 
any brown spots in the inner bark, they must be carefully cut 
out. This disease is one great cause of the canker, and of the 
death of the tree. [See Plate 9. Fig, 3.] 

When this disease has made its way through both barks, 
as is often the case, the branches on each side of the tree may 
be cut close to the stem, if it has an upright one ; but if the tree 
be trained fan-fashion, the best way is to head it near to the 
place where it was grafted. I have headed old pear-trees 
which were so dead, except a small strip of live bark on one 
side, that you might rub the bark off them as easily as off a 
bundle of iaggot-sticks that had been cut upwards of a year ; 
yet these trees have shot out fresh branches to the length of 
seventeen feet in two years, and produced fine fruit the second 
year. Apply the composition immediatly after heading, o» 
cutting, or paring off the deceased bark.. 

A very destructive species of the coccus tribe has lately 
done incredible damage to the apple-trees in the nurseries and 
gardens in the neighbourhood of London* Some Nurserymen 
have lost several thousand apple-trees in one year. These in- 
sects attach themselves to the bark by their suckers, and, by 
feeding on the juices of the tree, rob it of its nourishment. 
Such trees as are infested with them have a sickly appearance* 
I am happy, however, in being able to say, that I have nearly 
extirpated them from his Majesty's gardens at Kensington s 
But, as our neighbours do not pay the same attention to their 
trees as we do to ours, the insects frequently emigrate to us j this 
obliges me to be very attentive to their first appearance ; and 
as I take the earliest opportunity of destroying them, the trees 
suffer very little from their depredations. 

* This, if I am not much mistaken, is the very insect that makes sucli 
Ureadful ravages amongst the peach-trees, in America. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, Sec. 179 



These insects make their nests generally where branches 
liave been cut off, or in hollow places, where the canker has 
eaten holes in the trees. Their first appearance is like a white 
down ; on touching, or rubbing them, they tinge the fingers 
of a crimson colour, like cochineal. If suffered to remain 
long on trees, they take wing, like aphides. The method that 
I have followed for these ten years to destroy them is as fol- 
lows : 

I rub the places where their nests are with an old brush, 
such as painters use, till they are all cleaned off ; and if the part 
be canker-eaten, I cut it clean out with a knife or chisel : I then 
take of soap-suds and urine equal parts, and with this I wash 
the wound and the bark all round it ; and with a brush apply 
the composition mixed with wood ashes and the powder of 
burnt bones, covering the wound all over with it. Afterwards 
I shake some of the powder of wood-ashes and burnt bones, 
mixed with an eighth part of unslaked lime finely powdered 
and sifted, over the hollows, or v^here knobs have been cut off. 

At the same time that the trees are cleared of the cocci 
the caterpillars should be picked off. 

The first time that I observed the new coccus, which has 
done so much mischief to the apple-trees about London, was, 
in a garden of my own at Chelsea, about the year 1782 or 3 ; 
and, as far as I can learn, they were imported, among some ap- 
ple trees, by the late Mr. Swinton, of Sloane street. Mr. Swin- 
ton afterwards removed his nursery to the King's road near 
Chelsea College, which now goes by the name of the Foreign 
Nursery. 

All the gardens about Chelsea and Kensington are now 
very much infested with these insects ; and I have frequently 
seen them in several other parts of the kingdom. 

Doctor George Fordyce purchased several apple-trees at 
the sale of the effects of Mr. De la Tour, editor of the Courier 
de PEurope ; all of which were from Mr. Swinton's nursery, 
and all infected with these insects. The doctor gave me twelve 
of these trees, which I planted, and very soon cleared them 
of the coccus. 

Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, Nurserymen at the vineyard, 
Hammersmith, Messrs. Grimwood and Co. Kensington, and 
Messrs. Gray and Wear at Brompton Park nursery, have ap- 
/ plied train oil, laid on with a painter's brush, with a view of 
destroying these insects, but they have not been successful"*^. 

* Since writing the above, I have been informed, that the Farmers in 
Kent likewise use train oil; \)m if they would make a fair trial of urine and 
goap-suds, they would fiad it more effectual, and it would cost nothing but la- 



180 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, he, 



Indeed, I by no means approve of applying oil to trees upon 
any account, as, by shutting up the pores, it is apt to render 
them bark bound. 

Of Caterpillars, 

Caterpillars are very destructive to cabbages, and all the 
brassica tribe, and frequently make depredations on trees, par- 
ticularly the apricot. They should, therefore, be carefully 
observed and picked off. A few years ago, Kensington Gar- 
dens were very much infested with them ; but by carefully 
picking and destroying them, and all the aurelia that could be 
come at, very few are now to be seen. During the winter and 
spring, every chrysalis that can be found under the copings of 
walls, on gates, palings, &c. should be destroyed. Many may 
also be found about the doors and windows of houses, under 
the eaves, and in many other places. 

The best method of preventing trees from being infested 
is to scrape the stems with a piece of bone or wood made in 
the form of a knife, taking care not to bruise the bark ; and 
afterwards to wash the tree and wall with an equal quantity of 
eoap-suds and urine mixed. 

As soon as the leaves are off the trees in autumn, they 
should be raked and swept up ; then carried to the melon 
ground and mixed up with other leaves and dung for hot-beds ; 
by this means you will get rid of a great number of eggs of in« 
sects that are deposited on the underside of the leaves. Then 
w^ash all the stems of the trees, and all the ends of the buds tak^ 
ing care not to hurt the buds : In doing this, what falls will de- 
stroy the slugs that take shelter on the off-set of the wall and in 
the borders, before they are dug for planting lettuce, endive, 
&c. This washing should be repeated about the beginning of 
February, which will destroy any eggs of different insects 
that may still remain about the trees. A painter's brush may 
be used for laying the mixture on the trees, and a soft broom, 
or a brush made of the ends of garden matting, for washing 
the wall. The matting seems preferable, as, being soft and 
flexible, it will enter the holes and crevices. 

The mixture that falls on the border and off-set of the wall, 
in this second washing, will destroy those slugs and insects 

bour; besides, what falls on the borders will make a fine manure. The urine 
and soap-suds should be saved in tubs in winter; and, as it will be too strong 
for use in summer, it may be lowered by adding water. This mixture will also 
be found effectual in killing slugs that harbour about the roots of the trees and 
bottoms of the walls. When it soaks into the ground, the slugs will work 
their way, and may easily be killed by throwing a little more of the mixture 
on them from a watering-pot with a rose. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. I8i 



that made their appearance early. The stems and branches 
of the trees may be washed two or three times, or oftener, in 
the spring, before the buds begin to swell ; but the branches 
must not be rubbed after the trees come into flow^er ; you 
may, however, sprinkle them over with the mixture from a 
watering-pot with arose just before the buds begin to open, 
but by no means after they are open ; as it will, by its glutm- 
ous nature, render the bloom liable to be scorched by the 
sun. 

I would recommend the above washings, &:c. for all trees, 
standards as well as those on walls ; particularly apple, cherry, 
and plum-trees. 

If any caterpillars should remain, they will be discover- 
ed by the curling of the leaves ; for every curled leaf has one 
or more caterpillars, or other insects, in it ; they should there- 
fore be carefully pulled oft^, and the insects crashed : If neg- 
lected, they will frequently devour every leaf, leaving the 
tree quite naked, and of course destroy the fruit for that 
season. 

There are some gregarious sorts of caterpillars found in 
great numbers enclosed in a net, or bag, resembling a strong 
cobweb, and fixed to the branches of trees and shrubs. I'hese 
nests should be carefully picked off, and the insects crushed, 
by which vast numbers of them will be destroyed. After you 
have cleared the tree as well as you possibly can, wash it as 
above directed, which will destroy those stragglers that may 
still remain on it. 

Observe, that after the trees come into flower, instead 
of washing them with urine and soap-suds, they should be 
well watered with clear lime-water, mixed with tobacco-water. 

There are several species of moths that in the caterpillar 
state are very hurtful to plums and other fruitftrees : It will, 
therefore, be a great advantage to destroy them on their first 
appearance. ^ 

It would be of great service to get acquainted as much as 
possible with the economy and natural history of all these in- 
sects, as we might thereby be enabled to find out the most cer- 
tain method of destroying them* W ere a few of each sort 
of caterpillars put in a box or case, and fed with leaves of such 
trees as they generally live upon, they might be observed from 
time to time until they came to the chrysalis, and from that to 
the moth or butterfly state, and thus a more perfect knowledge 
of them might be obtained. 



9b 



182 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



It would be necessary to have separate divisions in the 
case for each different species, and to put some earth in the 
bottom of each dr/ision, which should be moistened occasion- 
ally, as some of them bury themselves in their chrysalis state, 
while others adhere to walls, gares, or palings. 

. Fresh leaves should frequently be put in, and the box or 
case covered with a piece of fine canvas, or gauze, to admit 
the fresh air. 

At the sam.e time that the trees are cleared of the coccus, 
aphis, or any other insects, the caterpillars should be carefully 
looked for and picked off. You will observe, that they shel- 
ter themselves at the ends of the shoots, in the flowers, and 
at the bottom of the foot-stalks of the flowers. There are two 
or three sorts that infest . fruit-trees, two of a brown and one 
of a green colour. Four years ago the apple-trees suffertcl 
very much by a blight ; they had all the leaves eaten oft, and, 
of course, bore no fruit. I first had all the caterpillars care- 
fuUv picked off : I then cut out the cankered wood, and wash- 
ed the trees with a mixture of urine, soap-suds, and fresh 
cow-dung, sufficient to bring it to the consistence of paint, 
laying it on all over the stems and branches of the trees, par- 
ticularly where the decayed parts were cut out : After this, 
the trees recovered in a manner that surprised every one who 
savf them ; and they still continue in a thriving state, and bear 
very line fruit. 

In 1795 I used the above method with a great many 
dwarf apple-trees , and the effect was so visible next season, 
that all w^ho sav/ them took notice of the great difference be- 
tween them and tlie remaining trees, which we had left to na- 
ture ; the latter bearing no fruit, and their leaves being eaten 
by the caterpillar, while the former have borne fme clean fruit 
ever since. 

The trees, twenty-five in number, which I left to nature, 
continued in a sickly state for three years, neither bearing fruit 
nor putting forth shoots. After the third year I headed them 
dov/n, scraping the stems and cleaning off the insects ; they 
are now recovered, having made as fine wood as the others, 
and are in a healthy flourishing state. 

Fig. 2, Plate 9, represents different states of a kind of 
moth, whose caterpillar has for many years done great mis- 
chief among pear-trees on walls. One wall in particular, in 
Kensington Gardens, was very much hurt every year, for seve- 
ral years successively. I imagined that it had ht&w the effect 
of lightning, or a blight; till, on picking off the caterpillars, 
we found a small sort in its case, sticking to the leaves, as 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 183 



at a. [See the Description of the Plate,'] All the first leaves 
were destroyed by the caterpillars : I was, therefore, rejoiced 
that I had found out the cause of their being so much injured 
every year, being perforated in many places, and dropping off 
very early. 

The Chermes, 

Chermes is a genus of insects belonging to the order He- 
miptera, and of which there are twenty-six species. They 
take their specific names from the different plants which they fre- 
quent ; as the Chermes Graminis, or Grass Bug ; the Chermes 
Ficus, or Fig«Tree Bug, &c. The latter is one of the largest of 
the genus, and is brown above and greenish beneath. It has 
four long wings, which are placed in form of an acute roof. 
The larva, which is of an oblong form, has six feet, and its 
motion is slow. When it is attempted to catch the chermes, 
it makes its escape rather by leaping than flying, by means of 
its hinder legs, which play like springs. Some of these in= 
sects have a mancsuvre worthy of notice. Several species are 
provided at the extremity of their body with a small sharp- 
pointed implement, but v/hich lies coocealcd ; and this they 
draw out in order to deposit their eggs, by making a puncture 
in the plant that suits them. By this method, the fir-tree 
chermes produces that enormous scaly protuberance which is 
to be found at the summit of the branches of that tree, and 
which is formed by the extravasation of the juices occasioned 
by the punctures. The younglarvse shelter themselves in cells 
contained in the tumour. The directions for destroying the 
coccus are applicable to this insect. ' 

The "^Ihrips, 

The Thrips, of which there ar^ eleven species, also be- 
longs to the order Hemiptera. This insect is, in general, so 
small as to be scarcely discerned by the naked eye. It is, how- 
ever, very pernicious to fruit-trees, sometimes attacking the 
fruit as well as the leaves. To destroy this insect, follow the 
directions given for destroying the coccus. 

The Phalcena^ or Moth. 

There are numerous species of this well-known insect, 
and their caterpillars differ greatly as to size, shape, and co- 
lour. All of them, after casting the slough several times, 
spin their cod, in which they are transformed to chrysalids. 
They are frequently found in this st'.ite, rolled up in the leaves 
of fruit-trees j particularly those of pears, plums^ and cher- 



184 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



ries» These leaves must be carefully picked olF, and the in- 
sects crushed : The trees must then be washed with clear 
lime-water mixed with tobacco-water. This washing would be 
found useful when the insect is in its larva state, after picking 
oiF and crushing as many of the caterpillars as possible. Set^ 
Cat pillars. 

Sphinx or Haxvk 3ioth, 

There are 165 species of thi& genus, ten of which are 
found in Great Britain and Ireland. 

The name of Sphinx is given to this genus on account of 
the singular attitudes of their caterpillars, who apply the hin- 
der part of their body to a branch of a tree, and hold the rest 
of it erect, like the Fabulous Sphinx, Most of them spin their 
cod under ground. The sphinges appear either early in the 
morning, or after sunset, and fly heavily and sluggishly, often 
emitting a kind of sound. M-atiy of the caterpillars are green 
and smooth, some brown, or yellow, and others are spotted, 
or have belts. The sphinx may be destroyed by the same me- 
thod as the phaleena. 

The Fhalcena Bombyx Neustria. 

The Phalaena Neustria, or Lackey Moth, lays its eggs in 
rings round the branches of fruit-trees, exhibiting the appear- 
ance of a necklace. These being very hard, and adhering close 
to the bark, must be cut off with a sharp knife, taking care 
to wound the bark as little as possible ; and wherever the knife 
enters, it will be necessary to rub in a little of the composi- 
tion. 

The Papilio. 

The Papilio, orButterfly, belongs to the order Lepidoptera. 
There are a great many species of this genus, generally distin- 
guislit d by the colour of their w^ings^: The more common sorts, 
with their caterpillars, are so well known, as to render a de- 
scription of them unnecessary. The caterpillars and chrysalids 
must be carefully picked, and the trees well watered with clear 
lime-water and tobacco-water mixed. 

The Cicada* 

The Cicada, Frog-Hopper, or Flea-Locust, is a genus of 
insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. The larv« of se- 
veral of this genus evacuate great quantities of a frothy matter 
upcjn the branches and leaves of plants or trees, in the midst of 
Yrhich they constantly reside, probably for shelter against other 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 185 



animals ; perhaps, also, the moisture of this foam may serve 
to secure them from the sultry rays of the sun. 

As the froth emitted by these insects is very unsightly, and 
as they are also hurtful to trees, by eating the leaves, they 
should be destroyed by rubbing off the larvae with the hand, 
and afterwards watering the tree plentifully with soft water. 

Of Earwigs, 

Earwigs are very destructiveto fruit, particularly peaches. 
The method that I would recommend for destroying them, and 
which I have long pursued with success, is as follows : 

Take old bean stalks, cut them about nine inches long, tie 
them up in small bundles, with some pack-thread, or with small 
yellow willows ; and hang them about on different parts of the 
trees. The first thing you do in the morning, being provided 
with a board about eighteen inches square, and a small wooden 
trowel, take down the bundles of bean stalks, one by one, strike 
them against the board, and with your trowel kill the earwigs 
as they fall out of the stalks. If you follow this up every 
morning (or every other morning), you will be able to keep 
them under. 

The foregoing method will answer for any sort of trees 
infested with earwigs. In some years I have seen a great part 
of the fruit, especially the smooth-skinned sorts, destroyed by 
these insects and a small green caterpillar; and in a scarce 
year of fruit, the leaves of peaches are frequently destroyed by 
them. 

Of the Ant. 

The Ant is very destructive to fruit, especially the peach 
when ripe ; you will frequently see these insects travelling all 
over the trees, and sometimes the fruit will be filled with them. 
The best method that I have found to destroy them is, to get a 
sharp pointed wooden stake, or an iron crow, if the ground be 
hard, and with it bore a hole not far from the stem of the tree, 
and as deep as the ground will permit. By stirring the earth, 
you will set the ants in motion : Then work your stake or crow 
round the sides of the hole, making them as smooth as you 
can ; the ants will come to the mouth of the hole and tumble in, 
and by the shape of the hole and smoothness of its sides, 
will be prevented from climbing up again. When you see a 
great many in the bottom of the hole, pour in some water from 
a watering pot ; and thus you may drown thousands of them. 

This is an easy and simple way to get rid of ants. Some 
are of opinion that they do good by eating the aphidts from off 



135 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



the trees ; but I have always thought that they do much more 
hurt than good. 

You may likewise destroy many of them by mixing quick- 
lime with soot, and laying it along their roads where you see 
them thickest ; but where you can come at their nests, the best 
way is to put a piece of quick -lime into it, and pour as much 
water over the lime as will slake it, the heat of which will de- 
troy them : When you have poured in the water, cover the lime 
with a turf or a little earth, ^vhich will render it more effectual, 
by confining the heat. You may slake the lime with a mixture 
of urine and soap-suds, which will render it still more ef- 
fectual. 

If alittle of the pov/der of stavesacre be laid on the ground 
round the stem of a tree, it vv ill prevent ants from ascending it. 

Slugs. 

These insects are frequently found harbouring about the 
foundations ofw^alls, and about the roots of pease, lettuce, &c. 
They may be picked oK and killed, by putting them into a pot 
in which is a little fine unslaked lime; or the ground where 
they are should be well watered with soap-suds and urine, mix- 
ed with tobacco Vv^ater. When they are numerous on the sur- 
face of the ground, which frequently happens after rain, or in a 
dewy morning, fine unslaked lime thrown over the borders, &c. 
will destroy them. But I prefer the above mixture, which, if 
the ground be well watered with it, will bring them up out of 
their holes, M'hen they very soon die : It will also destroy their 
eggs, which they always deposit in the earth. 

Snails. 

Snails, during the winter, gather themselves together in 
clusters-, and in that season are frequently found in great num- 
bers behind wall-trees, and in holes of the walls. ' They must 
be carefully picked off and crushed, which is the only effectual 
way of gettiDg rid of them. If any should escape, they should 
be destroyed as they miake their appearance in the spring. As 
they also deposit their eggs in the ground, the borders should 
be well watered^ as directed for slugs. 

Of Wasps and Files, 

As soon as the Wasp and Large Flesh Fly (which are verv 
destructive to all kind of fruit, particularly grapes) make their 
appearance, get ready several bottles, or phials ; then mix up 
grounds of wine, or beer, with sweepings of sugar, honey, or 
grounds of molasses, and with this mixture fill the bottles half, 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 187 



or three quarters full, then place some of them at the bottom 
of the wall and hang a sufficient number up by a piece of yel- 
low willow or pack-thread on the nails against the walls in dif- 
ferent places, observing to empty them frequently, as they fill 
with flies and wasps ; first pour the liquor into an empty bottle, 
and then shake out the dead insects, crushing them with your 
foot, that none of them may revive : then pour back the liquor 
into the bottles and phials, as at first. In this manner you may 
destroy a great many before the fruit becomes ripe. If you 
begin to hang up the bottles as soon as you see the fly, which 
comes much earlier than the wasp, you will be able to destroy 
great numbers of them, and will have the bottles ready for the 
v/asps when they, make their appearance. The fly will be found 
as destructive as the wasp to grapes. 

When the weather is hot, and the wasps are num.erous, if 
they do not enter the bottles fast enough (which will happen 
when the fruit is very ripe), take a little oil in a cup, and with 
a feather dipped in it touch their backs, and they will instantly 
drop down : On observing, you will find them turned black and 
green by the effects of the oil^. It is amazing what numbers 
a diligent person can destroy in this v/ay in a day. Oil has the 
s;une effect on flies; bat it is very difficult to touch them with 
it as they are so quick in their motions. 

Of Birds, 

When fruit begins to ripen, birds will attack it. The best 
preventive in this case is, to cover the trees with nets, or bun- 
tine, a sort of cloth of which ships colours are made. These 
will admit a free circulation of air to the fruit, and will soon 
dry after rain : The}^ will also be a good covering for the trees 
in spring, in cold, wet, or snowy weather. 

Rats and Mice. 

These vermin do a great deal of mischief in gardens, in 
sheds, and other places, where the}' frequently destroy great 
quantities of beans, pease, and other seeds ; it is, therefore, 
the interest of every gardener to kill as many of them as pos- 
sible. 

There are different ways of destroying them, by traps, 
and by poison ; but I would advise never to use arsenic, or 
corrosive sublimate, for that purpose, except under particular 
circumstances, as they are deadly poison : Nux vomica will 
generally answer the end as well, without the danger. In case 

* Oil kills insects by closing up the lateral pores by which they breathe. 



188 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



of being accidentally tasted by children or others, it will be 
'attended with no worse consequence than leaving a disagreeable 
bitter taste in the mouth ; unless, indeed, a considerable quan- 
tity of it be taken, which would, no doubt, prove fatal^ ; as 
it is possessed of a strong narcotic quality, and is found a cer- 
tain poison for dogs and cats, as well as for rats and mice. 
All domestic animals should, therefore, be kept from the places 
where the poison is laid. A very good way to prevent ac- 
cidents is, to enclose the traps in cases, having holes in the ends 
of them large enough to admit the rats, but small enough to 
exclude dogs, cats, &c. 

A Bait for Rat Traps, 

Take a pound of good flour, three ounces of molasses, 
and six drops of the oil of carraways ; put them all in a dish, 
and rub them well together till they are properly mixed ; then 
add a pound of crumbs of bread. 

Set the traps, baited with some of the foregoing mixture, 
as near iheir haunts as possible ; but, for two or three days, so 
as not to fall or strike on the rats going in, and let them have 
free liberty to go in and out at pleasure ; this will make them 
fearless. Lay some of the bait at the rat-holes, and scatter a 
little of it quite up to the traps, and so on to the bridge of each 
trap, where you may lay a handful. It may also be proper to 
scent the traps w^ith the following mixture, for the purpose of 
enticmg the rats into them. 

Take twenty drops of oil of rhodium, six or seven grains 
of musk, and half an ounce of oil of anniseed ; put them in a 
small phial, and shake it well before using: Then dip a bit of 
twisted paper, or rag in the mixture, and rub each end of the 
trap with it, if a box-trap, and put two or three drops on the 
bridge, leaving the paper or rag in the trap. Of whatever 
kind the trap is, it should be scented : Once in a twelvemonth 
will be sufficient. Then throw some chaff, mixed with a little 
wheat, about the bottom of the trap, in order to deceive the 
rats ; for they are very sagacious, and will not enter a suspir 
eious place. This will be necessary to be done only at the first 
time of setting the traps ; for after some rats have been caught 
and have watered and dunged in them, rats will enter boldly 
when they find others have been there before them : Do not 
therefore, wash or clean out the trap, as some people do before 
they set it again ; but let the dung and urine remain in it. Keep 

* It has been taken in doses from five to ten grains, twice a day, in in- 
t€rmittents and d^^senteries. 



MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 189 



the places where the traps are set as private as possible ; and 
when you set them for catching, mix no bread with the bait, 
as the rats will in that case be apt to carry it away. 

When you find the holes quiet, and that no rats use them, 
stop them up with the following composition : Take a pint of 
common tar, half an ounce of pearl-ashes, an ounce of oil of 
vitriol, and a good handful of common salt, mix them all well 
together, in an old pan or pot. Take some pieces of paper, 
and lay some of the above mixture very thick on them, then 
stop the holes well up with them, and build up the mouth of 
the holes with brick, or stone, and mortar : If this be properly 
done, rats will no more approach these, while either smell or 
taste remains in the composition. 

To kill Rats in Places where you ca?inot set TrapSi 

Take a quart of the bait already described, then rasp into 
it three nuts of nux vomica, and add a quarter of a pound of 
crumbs of bread, if there was none before ; mix them all well 
together, and lay it into the mouth of their holes, and in dif- 
ferent places where they frequent ; but first give them of the 
bait without the nux vomica for three or four succeeding nighty ; 
and when they find it agrees with them, they will eat that mix^ 
ed with the nut with greediness. 

Rats are frequently very troublesome in shores and drains. 
In such case, arsenic may be used with success, as follows : 
Take some dead rats, and having put some white arsenic, fine- 
ly powdered, into an old pepper-box shake a quantity of it on 
the foreparts of the dead rats, and put them down the holes, 
or avenues by the sides of the shores at which they come in ; 
this puts a stop to the live ones coming any further ; for when 
they perceive the arsenic they will retire immediately ; where- 
as, if you were to put down the dead rats without the arsenic,, 
the live ones would eat them* 

What has been said relates chiefly to rats j we shall now 
give some directions for destroying mice. 

Take a quart of the bait prescribed for rats before there is 
any bread mixed with it ; then take four nuts of nux vomica, 
and rasp them very fine, otherwise the mice will pick out the 
food from it, on account of its bitter taste ; rub them well to- 
gether ; lay some of it on apiece of paper, or, if without doors, 
on a piece of tile, removing all other food from the place, and 
it will kill all that eat of it. What is not eaten, take away in 
the morning, and replace it at night. If this be in a garden, 
shelter it with boards, or tiles, that it may not get wet. 

e G 



190 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE, 5cc. 



I would recommend setting fourth-figure traps in gardens : 
These are so well known to gardeners, that they need no de- 
scription. They may be baited with garden beans. 

Traps are also made by stringing garden beans on a piece 
of fine pack-thread, as you would string beads, then driving 
in two small stakes at the breadth of a brick from each other, 
and setting up a brick, or stone, or a board with a weight on it, 
inclining to an angle of about forty-five degrees ; then tie the 
string, with the beans on it, round the brick and stakes, to 
support the brick in its inclining position, taking care to place 
all the beans on the under side of the brick. The mice in eat- 
ing the beans will also cut the pack-thread, and so disengage 
the brick, or stone, which falling on them kills them. 

There is nothing new in the foregoing method ; but, as 
field-mice will seldom enter a close trap, I thought proper to 
mention it. 

As mice are frequently carried into gardens with straw, or 
litter, and are there extremely hurtful, destroying beans and 
pease in spring, as also lettuces, melons, and cucumbers in 
frames, it is necessary to take some pains to destroy them. 



OBSERVATIONS 

ON THE 

DISEASES, DEFECTS, AND INJURIES, 

IN ALL KINDS OF 

FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



I 



INTRODUCTION. 



It redounds very much to the general honour of the British 
nation, as well as to the particular credit of the Society for the 
Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, and 
several other Associations for the Advancement of Agricul- 
ture, &:c. that the face of the country has, in the course of the 
present century, received so much improvement, and such ad- 
ded beauty. 

The premiums and honorary marks of distinction held 
forth by these societies have excited a spirit of emulation, or 
suggested a spirit of improvement, among persons of every 
rank of life, which have been productive of many discoveries 
of no common benefit in their present effects, and of great 
promise from their future consequences, to the community at 
large. 

But, notwithtsaiiding the strides which modern agricul- 
ture has made towards perfection in many points, there is one 
particular and very interesting branch of this science which 
improvement has not yet embraced, viz. the growth of timber, 
and the culture and management of plantations both of fruit 
and forest-trees. 

The profession of a gardener has been the employment 
of my life ; and during a long succession of years, it has been an 
object of my particular study to investigate and discover the 
latent causes of those various defects and diseases to which ail 
kinds of trees are more or less subject, and the injuries result- 
ing from them, by obstructing the fertility of fruit-trees, and 
diminishing the quantity, as well as quality, of timber in for- 
est-trees. 

Having acquired a competent knowledge of the evil in all 
its appearances and effects, my attention was directed toward 
the discovery of such a remedy as might not only counteract 
the progress of these diseases in fruit and forest-trees, but also 
afford nature such powerful assistance, that she might be enabled 
to renovate, as it were, fertility in the one, and sound timber 
in the other. Of my success in these endeavours to promote 
the general advantage of this country in a matter so connected 



194 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



with its best interests, I have that clear conviction which I trust, 
will be hereafter communicated to every part of the kingdom 
where the application of my experience shall be made and 
prosecuted. 

The inquisitive spirit which accompanied my professional 
pursuits, with the natural desire of improving my private 
practice in the management of the various kinds of trees under 
my care, led me by degrees to this discovery. The idea, how- 
ever, of making it public never occurred to me, till the many 
trials and experiments that I had repeatedly made, both on 
fruit and forest-trees, in the Royal Gardens at Kensington, had 
attracted the notice of many persons of high rank, as well as 
philosophical eminence, and prompted them to favour it with 
a particular examination. Their investigation of my process 
and method of curing the defects and injuries which, from va- 
rious causes, those trees had sustained, by producing convic- 
tion in their minds, gave the most flattering encouragement to 
me. Indeed, the application of the remedy had been attended 
with such uninterrupted success, that its salutary and certain 
effects were evident to every one who favoured it with an atten* 
live observation. Many, who visited me with the most decided 
opinions against the successful application of any remedy for 
trees in a very advanced state of decay, did not hesitate, on an 
investigation of the subject, to acknowledge that their preju- 
dices were not only removed, but that their judgments were 
perfectly convinced of the powerful efficacy of the discovery, 
and the very great advantages which, both in an individual and 
a national view, might be derived from it. 

Among the more early enquirers, were the Commissioners 
appointed by Parliament to examine into the state of the woods, 
forests, and land revenues of the crown ; who, in the course of 
their surveys, had perceived a great number of trees in the 
Royal Forests to be materially injured ; and their anxiety to 
prevent the loss or further damage of so much valuable timber 
induced them to honour me with a letter* concerning the 
effects of injuries done to oak-trees, and the means of prevent- 
ing or curing defects in timber from various causes therein 
stated. 

In reply to this inquiry of the commissioners, I did my- 
self the honour of addressing them two successive lettersf. 

Shortly after the date of these letters the commissioners 
favoured me with a visit at Kensington, to examine the process 

* See No. 1 , of the Appendix. 

f See No.s 2 and 3, of the Appendix. 



I OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 195 

and mode of cure which I had adopted, as well as the effects 
which my remedy had produced on trees of various kinds and 
ages to which it had been applied. Those gentlemen seemed, 
in a most particular manner, to interest themselves in ascer- 
taining the utility and benefit that might arise from the applica- 
tion of it to many thousand valuable trees in his Majesty's 
woods and forests, which had received injuries of such a kind 
as, if left to the unassisted efforts of nature, would occasion a 
very considerable diminution in the value and the quality of the 
timber, and might even terminate in their entire ruin'^. 

This very attentive and minute examination of the several 
objects of their inquiry being followed by the clearest convic- 
tion of the great public utility which would result from a gene- 
ral application of the remedy, the commissioners were pleased 
to make a representation of it to the Lords of his Majesty's 
Treasury, under whose sanction it was submitted to the con- 
sideration of the House of Commons by Mr, Rose, on the 
24th of July, 1789 ; and on his motion, an humble address was 
presented by that honourable house, to his Majesty on the 
subjectf. 

In consequence of this address, a Committee of Members 
©f both Houses of Parliament undertook, at the instance of the 
Lords of the Treasury, to investigate the efficacy of my compo- 
sition ; for which purpose, they most attentively examined the 
state, condition, and progress of cure, of the decayed and in- 
jured trees in Kensington Gardens, to which it had been ap- 
plied, in experiments of various kinds, for upwards of seven 
preceding years ; and, after having by a very full enquiry, strict 
investigation, and the most minute attention, satisfied their 
minds in every particular, they reported to the Lords of the 
Treasury the result of their examination, expressing their una- 
nimous opinion and conviction, that " The Composition was 
a discovery which might be rendered highly beneficial both to 
individuals and the public." That report, and also a letter pre- 

* Mr. Nichol of Radbridge, Hants, Purveyor for Portsmouth Dock, in- 
formed me that the average of the damaged timber brought to that place was 
never less than one fourth of the total quantity of timber brought in annually ; 
and not unfrequently it amounted to a third. If, however, the trees that have 
received any injuries were prepared, and the composition applied as directed in 
this treatise, the cavities, or wounds, would be filled up with new and sound 
wood. And if recent wounds, occasioned by lopping or breaking off branches, 
were immediately dressed in a proper manner with the composition, the tree 
would sustain no injury ; as the wounds wonld be healed and covered over 
with new and sound bark in a short space of time ; so that there would noi 
be found a. foot of damaged timber. 



t SeeNp, 4, of the Appendix, 



196 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



viously written to the Committee by the Commissioners of the 
Land Revenue, of which I have been favoured with copies^ 
are, for the further information of the public, inserted in the 
appendix*. 

Having been thus honoured by the unanimous approbation 
of persons so respectable for their rank, character, and know- 
ledge, I proceeded to exert myself in making various addi- 
tional trials and experiments, to enable me to give farther proofs 
of the efficacy of my composition, in restoring the powers of 
vegetation to trees so far decayed as to be of no value as tim- 
ber, but which, from their situation as a skreen, or as com- 
posing part of a general uniform appearance in the Royal Gar- 
dens, it became a desirable object to preserve. Nor were my 
endeavours less successful in this subordinate experiment, than 
they had been in those which were directed by circumstances 
of superior interest ; for I had the very great satisfaction to 
find, that in consequence of my treatment of trees in that state 
of decay which has just been specified, a few years growth has 
filled up unsightly chasms, and restored that uniformity to their 
local position, which young plants set in their places would not 
have accomplished in a long course of successive years. 

The report of the committee having been laid before his 
Majesty, in consideration of the great utility and advantage 
which must arise to the country at large from the use of this 
composition, his Majesty was most graciously pleased to order 
a reward to be given to the author, for making known to the 
public the materials of which it is composed, with the method 
of preparing it, as well as the mode of its application ; and, 
in order to diffuse the benefits of this discovery throughout 
the kingdom, an advertisement f has been inserted in the 
London Gazette, and in most of the town and country news- 
papers. 

The very great importance to this country of securing a 
continued succession of good, healthy, and well-growing forest- 
trees, producing sound, unblemished timber, for supplying 
the various wants of the public, must be evident to every man's 
reflection ; nor need it be observed, that numberless large 
trees, in the woods, parks, and forests, of this kingdom, are, 
from various causes, rendered unfit for use, and the timber 
so much damaged as to occasion a considerable diminution in 
its value. This evil arises, in some instances, from unskilful 
management, and in others from external accidents ; among 

* See No. 5, of the Appendix, 
t See No. 6, of the Appendix. 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



197 



which are, the ruinous effects of hurricanes and high winds, 
when the trees are generally left, in their wounded and dis- 
figured state, to the accelerated operations of inevitable de- 
cay. It also not unfrequently happens, that the heirs of large 
estates, on coming to the possession of them, order great 
numbers of trees to be promiscuously felled, before they have 
attained a state of maturity, without paying the least attention 
to provide a succession of young trees to supply their place ; 
by such inexcusable negligence defeating the ends proposed by 
the provident care and wisdom of their ancestors, depriving 
the public of a valuable source of timber, either for domestic 
purposes or national use, and reducing their country to a de- 
pendance on foreign produce for supplying the demands of her 
fleets and manufactures, 

I shall esteem myself most happy, if, in giving this tri- 
bute of information to the general stock of public improve- 
ment, I should promote an influejice that may excite noblemen 
and gentlemen, and proprietors of land of every denomination 
throughout the kingdom, to be actively solicitous in planting 
and preserving oak-timber, the native growth of their coun- 
try ; that Great Britain may never be under the dangerous as 
well as disagreeable necessity of trusting the safety of her 
seamen to the inferior texture and less durable quality of fo- 
reign growths ; while the hardy oaks of England, which for 
ages past^have been considered as affording the best timber 
in the world for this building, and may have been said to 
have brought home victory and commerce from every part 
of the globe, are no longer suffered to diminish, as they ha\iie 
done of late, to the manifest detriment and dishonour of our 
country. 

Such an evil (and it is of no common magnitude) proceeds 
from the negligence and inattention of the landed men, who, 
from a spirit of patriotic ambition, as well as private interest, 
should pay a very vigilant attention to the maintaining of a 
succession of healthy, well-growing timber, for the service of 
their country, nor any longer suffer the internal resources of 
the kingdom to fail in furnishing materials for that great na- 
tional object, the support of the British navy; as well as for 
the many various demands of domestic utility. By making 
such a provision for the public wants, they will add to their 
own immediate wealth, as well as to the fortunes of those who 
come after them : And, while I express my wishes that such 
general good designs may be put in universal practice, I may 
es;pre55 my belief, that the discovery which I have made, and 

P d 



198 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



which is now divulged to the public*, will facilitate the means 
of prosecuting them, to the essential advantage of the British 
Empire. 

General Observations on the Diseases, Defects^ and Injuries, of 
all Kinds of Fruit and Forest- Trees, 

In the course of more than thirty yenrs practice in culti- 
vating, pruning, and keeping of garden fruit-trees, I have ob- 
served, that from natural ciuses, accidents, and unskdful ma- 
nagement, they weie subject to injuries of different kinds, 
which always dlniLiished their fertility, and frequently render- 
ed them wholly unproductive. 

All trees that bear stone-fruit are liable to emit a gum, 
which, by producing a canker, proves fatal to the health and 
vegetation of the tree. Most forest-trees are also liable to 
what is called a bleeding, which proceeds from any injuries 
that obstruct the circulation of the juices. Of those which 
suffer from bad management or accidents, some are injured by 
unskilful pruning, and lopping at improper seasons of the 
year ; and others by Uie violence of high winds, having boughs 
or limbs torn from their bodies ; which being left in that state, 
exposed to all the inclemency of hard frosts, are often crack- 
ed or rent in the wjood ; or from heavy and soaking rains, the 
wounds imbibe so large a quantity of wet and moisture, as, 
by causing a fermentation with the natural juices, brings on 
disease, and in time destroys the health and vegetation of the 
tree. These, among other causes, tend to produce decay and 
barrenness in fruit-trees, as well as defects in timber, to the 
great loss of the public in general, as well as essential injury to 
the individual proprietor. 

To remove these evils, and to prevent the ill consequen- 
ces arising from the causes already described, I submit to the 
experience of the public a remedy discovered by myself, which 
has been appli' d v^ith r;ev^i ir^:'irg success to ail kinds of fruit- 
trees, and hah not only prevei.t^-d luither decay, but actually 
restored vegetation and increased iruitfulness, even in such as 
were apparently barren and decayed. It has produced also 
a similar effect on forest-trees, by restoring them to soundness 
of timber and healthful vegetation, and covering, as it were, 
visible nakedness and increasing decay, with fresh and vigor- 
ous foliage. 

This remedy is a composition formerly applied in the 
inanner of a plaster, but now in a liquid state, and laid over 

* See Np,s 6 and 7i of the Appendix, 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



199 



the wounded or injured part of the tree with a painter's brush : 
It is of a soft and healing nature ; possesses an absorbent and 
adhesive quality ; and, by resisting the force of washing rains, 
the contraction of nipping frosts, and the effects of a warm sun 
or drying winds, excludes the pernicious influence of achange- 
ble atmosphere. 

The discovery of it is the result of much reflection and stu- 
dy during a long course of years, and of a great variety of expe- 
riments, made, at a very considerable expence, to ascertain 
the efficacious powers of the application. Nor shall I hesitate 
a moment to declare my firm belief, that wherever it shall be 
properly applied by the proprietors of gardens, orchards, and 
woods, it will be productive of all the advantage that can be 
derived from restoring as v/ell as preservirg vigour and fertility 
in all kinds of fruit-trees ; as also from preventing decay, and 
promoting health and sound timber, in every species of forest- 
trees : And how great that advantage maybe, it is in the capa- 
city of every one to determine. 

On the Management of Forest-Trees, 

The received opinion and common practice of most pro- 
fessional men has been, to prune or top their trees^ from the 
month of October, when the juices have been exhausted by the 
summer foliage, autumnal fruit, and general nourishment of 
the body of the tree, until the month of March, when the 
sap or juices, re-invigorated by nature during the winter's re- 
pose, begin to re-ascend and perform the annual function of 
cloathing it with fresh foliage, blossoms, and fruit. The rea- 
son of this practice is, that, the sap being fallen at that season 
of the year, it has been considered as the most proper period 
to lop off all superfluous growths ; and the efforts of nature 
to heal the wounds thus necessarily given, (before the rising 
of the sap in the following spring) have been judged best for 
the safety and health of the tree. The danger of performing 
this service when the juices are in a more vigorous flow, as in 
the months of May, June, and July, has been dreaded, from 
a fear of its occasioning a waste of the nutritive juices, dis- 
charging themselves through the wound, to the impoverish- 
ment and injury, if not the ruin, of the tree. 

The pruning of fruit-trees and the lopping off large branches 
from forest-trees during the winter season, has also been fre- 
quently attended with great hurt and impediment to their health 
and vegetation ; the wounds being exposed to all the rigours 
of an inclement season, and thereby contracting those diseases 
which contain the principles of decay. Hence it is, that 



200 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



such numbers of forest-trees are continually injured in their 
value for public uses, either by unskilful management or pur- 
pose depredation, or by the violence of boisterous winds, when 
their limbs and branches being torn ojfF, the trees are left in 
that unprotected state to imbibe the seeds of decay and rotten- 
ness, which will in time pervade their very heart, and render 
them unfit for any of those valuable purposes for which nature, 
by their frame and texture, appears to have designed them. 

It may also be observed, that where branches have been 
cut off from the body of the tree, even at the distance of two 
or more feet from the trunk, with a view to prevent injury to 
the limber, even that method has not been found effectual to 
save the tree from very material detriment ; as the remaining 
stem of the branch so cut away, dying soon after, becomes a 
ready conduit for conveying pernicious moisture and disease to 
that part of the tree with w^hich it is connected j and so on, in 
time, to the whole. 

The practice of others, in lopping their trees close to the 
trunk, and dressing the part smooth and even, has less objec- 
tions than the former ; nevertheless, even according to this 
method, the tree is liable to injury. The effort of nature to 
heal the wounds thus given discovers itself by encircling the 
wound with a kind of callus, or lip, which, increasing in size, 
and swelling out from the annual flow of the juices, forms a 
hollow or cavity of the central part, where the rain or snow 
is very apt to lodge ; and penetrating between the bark and the 
wood, dried and cracked by a hard frost or warm sun, pro- 
motes that fermentation with the natural juices, which is the 
certain source of disease and decay. 

Young, healthful, and vigorous trees, when they have 
been injured by being wantonly cut through the bark, or from 
other causes, will sometimes recover themselves, and, to all 
outward appearance, be restored to their original soundness ; 
but when cut into planks and boards, internal blemishes and 
faults are discovered in them, which appear to have been oc- 
casioned by the early injuries which the tree had received ; the 
texture of the wood not uniting where the wound was origi- 
nally given ; though, from the youthful vigour of nature, the 
bark has closed, and an external cure been evidently per- 
formed. 

As a most efficacious remedy to prevent the evils that I 
have described, with all their destructive consequences, and 
to restore sound timber where the symptoms of decay are al- 
ready apparent, I confidently recommend the use of my com- 
position, which, being applied in a proper manner to the wound- 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 201 



ed or injured part, will infallibly prevent the bleeding of trees, 
or the oozing of juices through the wounds ot limbs or branches 
that have been cut off in the middle of summer, when they are 
in their highest vigour, and most rapid flow of vegetation ; by 
which means, any wasteful discharge of the juices is prevented, 
and they are dulv confined to their natural operations of giving 
nourishment, growth, and fertility, to then' respective bodies. 

By employing the proposed remedy, trees of all kinds, 
whether in gardens or orchards, in parks or forests, may with 
greater safety and advantage be pruned or lopped in the spring, 
or early in the summer, than in the winter season ; as the com- 
position, when properly a.pplied, repels the flow of the juices 
through the wound, causes a more active vegetation, and as- 
sists nature more powerfully in healing the wound at the time 
the sap is in full vigour, than when it is on the decline, as in 
autumn and winter. 

It is also necessary to remark, that both fruit and forest- 
trees (particularlv those which grow in the shade) are very lia- 
ble to be affected with disorders proceeding from the growth of 
liver-wort, and various kinds of moss, that adhere to the outer 
bark of the tree, and frequently gain a considerable thickness, 
that not only prevents the natural flow of the juices, but causes 
a stagnation in the circulation, and brings on decay ; which, af- 
ter destroying the outer bark, penetrates, by degrees, deeper 
into the wood. Where this circumstance is observed, care 
should be taken to clear the whole bark of the tree from these 
growths; and where it is infected, to scrape or pare it away. 
When the body of the tree is thus cleansed from infection, the 
composition should be applied in a liquid state, to the parts so 
cleaned, to close the pores of the wood; when the tree will soon 
acquire a fresh bark, with improved health and vegetation. I 
am confirmed in these opinions by the many experiments and 
various trials that I have made to ascertain, by the most posi- 
tive proofs, the properties of this composition, before I ven- 
tured to offer it to the public attention. Indeed, every year's 
experience has increased my conviction of its general utility, 
when properly applied to the purposes for which it is recom- 
mended. To give a more complete illustration of its virtues, 
and to place the advantages arising from it in a stronger light, 
I shall beg leave to state a few of the very numerous experi- 
ments that I have made on the forest-trees in his Majesty's 
gardens at Kensington, where the salutary effects of the com- 
position are evident to every attentive observer. 

The first trials of its efficacv were made on some very large 
•and antient elms, many of which were in a most decayed state. 



202 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



having all their upper parts broken, by high winds, from their 
trunks, which were withal so hollow and decayed^ that a small 
portion alone of the bark remained alive and sound. Of these 
trees, I cut away, at first, a part only of the rotten stuif, from the 
hollow of the tree, and then applied the plaster to the place 
where the operation had been performed, by way of an internal 
coat of the composition. In a short time, however, the elforts 
of nature, with a renovated flow of the juices, were clearly 
discernible in their formation of the new wood, uniting with, 
and swelling, as it were, from the old, till it became a strong 
support to that part of the tree where the composition had been 
applied. I then cut away more of the rotten wood frorr the 
inside, applying the plaster in the same manner, with the same 
good effects, and continued to use the knife in proportion to 
the acquisition of new wood; so that, from the tops of these de- 
cayed and naked trunks, stems have actually grown of above 
thirty feet in height, in the course of six or seven years from 
the first application of the composition; an incontrovertible 
proof of its good effects in restoring decayed vtgetation. 

Many other elm trees which had received hurts from bruises 
and other causes, and where disease and decay were already 
evident, after cutting away all the iinfected part, and duly ap- 
plying the plaster, were so completely healed, that the outline 
of the wound is scarcely discernible on the bark, and the new 
wood is as perfectly united to the old, as if it had been origin- 
ally formed with the tree. 

Of oak-trees also, which had received very considerable 
damage from various accidents, as blows, bruises, and cutting 
of deep letters, the rubbing off the bark by the ends of rollers, 
or wheels of carts, and mutilated branches, a perfect cure has 
been made and sound timber produced. The acidity, or 
corrosive quality, of the juice of oak-trees, when obstructed 
in their circulation from any of the causes already mentioned, 
and fermenting with the wet and moisture imbibed by the 
wounds from the atmosphere, will bring on disease, and pro- 
mote decay ; for, notwithstanding the hard texture of the oak, 
when once the principles of decay begin to operate, the acri- 
monious juices feed the disease, and accelerate its progress, as 
much, perhaps, as in trees of a softer quality and texture ; but 
when the diseased or injured part is entirely cut away to the 
fresh sound wood, and the composition properly laid on, as 
perfect a cure has been made as I have already related in the 
recovery of the elm trees. Indeed, when I reflect that the oak 
has been the boast of our early ancestors, and the means, un^ 
der the blessing of God, of affording protection and safety, as 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



203 



well as accumulating honour and Avealth, to the nation, what 
language can sufficiently deplore that want of public spirit, and 
that strange inattention to the preservation and increase of this 
staple tree, which suffers such numbers of stately oaks to go 
to decay ; in which disgraceful state they remain to upbraid 
their possessors, as foes to the commerce and naval glory of 
the kingdom 1 

Various experiments have also been made on other forest- 
trees, as ash, limes, chesnuts, and sycamores, that had received 
the several injuries to which they are exposed ; as well as many 
of the resinous kinds, such as the cedar of Lebanon, and others 
of the pine tribe ; in all of which I have experienced a degree 
of success that exceeded my most sanguine expectations. 

As I feel a strong solicitude to render my experiments of the 
most extensive advantage to the community, and in particular 
to the proprietors of landed estates throughout the kingdom, 
I beg leave to recommend to their particular attention, that all 
forest-trees, whether felled v/ith a saw or an axe, may be cut 
near to the ground ; at the same time carefully preserving the 
stump and roots from any further injury. The surface should 
then be made quite smooth when the composition may be spread 
over the whole surface according to the directions already 
given. It should, however, be observed, that the composition, 
when employed for this particular purpose, should have an 
equal quantity of the powder of alabaster mixed with the dry 
powder generally directed to be used after the composition is 
laid on, in order to render the surface harder, and of course 
better able to resist the bad effects of the dripping of trees, of 
rain, frost, and snow. But this addition is by no means neces- 
sary in the usual application to the sides of trees. 

In consequence of this process, the vigour of the roots 
will operate so powerfully in the course of the succeeding spring, 
that a considerable number of buds or branches will shoot forth 
round the stump, which, with proper care and attention, may 
be trained to many valuable purposes, either straight or crook- 
ed, for knee-timber, or other uses ; and, by retaining only so 
many of these shoots as are designed to grow for any particular 
intention, more than one half will be saved, in point of time, 
according to the proportions of common growth: For if a 
young tree be planted in a soil equal in quality to the site of the 
old stump, the shoot growing from the latter will, in eight or 
ten years, attain to a size which the single plant will hardly ac- 
quire in twice that period. There are also many useful pur- 
poses of husbandry, as hop-poles, and other poles used on va- 
rious occasions, for which a number of shoots may be trained 



201^ OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, kc. 



from one stump, whose fertile juices will shortly rear a healthy 
and numerous offsprin^j around it. Very particular attention, 
however, should be paid to regulate their number, according to 
the size and vigour of the stump. It would certainly be proper 
to leave more of them at first than are intended to be reserved 
for iinal use, in order to draw up the sap ; if too few are left 
they will be liable to burst, from the superabundant flow of the 
juices from the old stock : To prevent which inconvenience, 
they should be cut away by degrees, always applying the com- 
position as they are cut, and leaving the finest stem to produce 
the new tree, which will, in time, cover the old stump, and 
leave nothing but a faint kind of cicatrix at the junction of the 
old and new part of the tree. 

It is needless for me to insist on the great advantages which 
land-proprietors and farmers will derive from this method of 
managing their woods and coppice grounds, wherever they may 
be. In many counties of England, coppice, or underwood, is 
an article in very great demand for charcoal, common fuel, or 
the purposes of particular manufactories, as well as to furnish 
a variety of articles for husbandry and domestic convenience. 

It would be equally unnecessary to enlarge on what must 
be so evident to the most ordinary understanding, the great 
national advantage which maybe derived from the use of thig 
composition, by preserving and increasing the native supplies 
of our country for the support of that navy which is to protect 
it. Nor need I urge to the man of taste, and the lover of land- 
scape beauty, what a useful htlp it may afford to the delightful 
modern art of ornamental horticulture. 



I 

APPENDIX. 



E e 



APPENDIX. 



No. 1. 

Land Revenue Office^ April 17, 1789. 

SIR, 

Being Informed that you have discovered a method of cur- 
ing defects in growing trees of all ages, which may have sus- 
tained damage from any cause whatever, we wish to be favour- 
ed bv you with an answer to the following questions, relative to 
injuries done to the bark of oak-trees, and th& means of pre» 
venting defects in the timber arising from that cause, vi2. 

1. Supposing a piece of bark of five or six inches square 
to be cut from the side of an oak-tree of any size, from twenty 
feet to one load or more, so as to lay the wood bare, and that 
letters or figures were burnt or stamped with sharp instruments, 
into solid wood, where the bark was so taken off, and the tree 
left in that state so long as it should continue standing, what 
effect do you think would be produced by such process upon 
the body of the tree ; whether it would continue to grow, and 
increase in size in the part from which the bark was taken ; or 
whether any, and what detriment would ensue from it to the 
timber, if no means were used to prevent it ; and whether such 
detriment, if any, would extend further than the limits of the 
part deprived of its bark ? 

2. If you should be of opinion that oak-trees would sus- 
tain any material detriment, or become in any degree defec- 
tive, from the cause above stated, do you know any means by 
which siich detriment may be eifectually prevented, in trees 
which have remained in that state from four, five or six months 
to a year; so as to restore the bark, and prevent the trees from 
becoming defective, and unfit for the use of the navy ? 

3. If you should be able to suggest a complete remedy for 
Such defects, and if the remedy would be effected by means 
peculiar to yourself, and unknown to others, we wish to know 



208 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c: 



if you would be willing to undertake to apply it, or superintend 
or direct the application of it by persons properly instructed by 
yourself, to any number of trees that might require it in any 
of the royal forests ? 

4. In case there should be occasion to apply such a remedy 
to a very considerable number of trees in the state above de- 
scribed, we wish to know, as nearly as possible, what expence 
the application would be attended with, by the hundred, or 
thousand, or any given number of trees, including labour, ma- 
terials, and every incidental expence ? 

We shall be glad to receive an answer to these enquiries 
with all convenient speed, and are, 

Sir, 

Your most obedient Servants, 

JOHN CALL, 
JOHN FORDYCEe 

Mr» Forsyth^ 



No. 2. 

To the Honourable the Commissioners of the Land Revenue, 

Uoyal Gardens, Kensington, April 24, 1789. 

HONOURED SIRS, 

TTo the letter you have been pleased to honour me with, I 
beg in general to say, that, from many years attention to fruit 
and forest-trees, I have observed every wound, bruise, or in- 
jury ; even the wanton cutting of the initials of a name on the 
bark of a tree has been attended with mischief, and has often 
brought on the destruction of the tree, especially if old. In 
particular I beg to say, that if a tree be young, nature will ex- 
ert herself to recover from the injury ; but if the tree be old, it 
will cease to grow about the injured part, will not increase in 
size, the wound will daily increase, and in time destroy ail the 
timber of the tree. 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 209 



In answer to the second question, 1 beg to say, that oak- 
trees are equally liable to decay and detriment, as all other 
trees, though their decay will be proportionably slow, as they 
are less porous than many other trees of our island ; though 
I should add, that after oak-trees are so far decayed as to hold 
water, their decay is as rapid as most other trees. In answer 
to the question, " Do you know any means by which such de- 
triment may be effectually prevented V' I beg to say, that after 
many years close application, and strictly critical observation, 
I am fully convinced, that upon the excision of the decayed 
part, and the application of a composition, it is possible to heal 
any wounded tree, and even to restore it to its former health, 
if there be only an inch or two of bark remaining to carry on 
the circulation of the vegetable economy. This is no theory, 
but is demonstrated by a great variety of experiments on fruit 
and forest trees in his Majesty's gardens at Kensington, now 
under my care ; and which trees, upon examination, have con- 
vinced all those who viewed them of the practicability of pro- 
ducing the finest, cleanest, and most prolific branches from 
stumps in a state of decay : And with confidence I can assert, 
that I have succeeded so well with his Majesty's fruit-trees, 
that by cutting out the diseased and dead wood, the trees have 
produced more and finer fruit in two and three years, than a 
tree newly planted will in thirteen or fourteen years ; and this 
advantageous circumstance is equally visible in the experi- 
ments I have made on elms, where nothing remained but 
the bark. The oak, from experience, I find equally as cura- 
ble as any other tree ; the bark may be restored, and the 
trees rendered as fit for the navy, as though they never had 
been injured. 

In answer to the third question, I say, that I am able to 
" suggest a complete remedy for the defects ;" and that reme- 
dy I suppose to be known only to myself, as it is not a secret 
drawn from books, or learned from men, but the effect of close 
application, and repeated experiments. As to undertaking 
the application of the remedy, I must request you will have 
the goodness to permit me to say, that as a servant of his Ma- 
jesty I do not think myself at liberty to form any engagement 
that must inevitably call me for a time from his Majesty's ser- 
vice in his royal gardens at Kensington ; but should his Ma- 
jesty be graciously pleased to think my services would be pro- 
ductive of a national good, and will condescend to permit me 
to be absent, I shall with the greatest pleasure and alacrity 
engage in the undertaking. 



210 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, he. 



I beg perm'ssion to lay before your Honourable Board 
several specimens of parts of trees which have been injured in 
araanner similar to th )se you have alluded to ; others which 
have been healed by t le method I have before mentioned. But 
the most effectual means of demonstrating the utility of this 
application, is the many fruit and forest-trees now growing in 
his ■Majesty's royal gardens at Kensington,- which I shall be 
happy to shew you. 

Your Honourable Board, cohsiderrng the shortness of 
time, will, I tj utt, make every allowance for any inaccuracy 
in this answer to the letter you favoured me whh, and permit 
me to subscribe myself. 

With the greatest respect, 

Your most obedient 

Humble Servant, 

WILLIAM FORSYTH, 

To the Honourable the 

Commissioners of the Land Revenue, 



Land Re^senue Office y April 'IS^ lf89» 

SIR, 

E have received your letter of yesterday's date, which 
contains a very clear and satisfactory answer to our enquiries 
respecting the effects of injuries done to the bark of oak-trees, 
and the means of preventing damage to the timber from that 
cause ; and the specimens sent with your letter afford the 
most convincing proofs both of the destructive consequences 
arising from even slight injuries to the bark, when no means 
are used to prevent them, and of the efficacy of your discovery 
for preventing and curing defects in timber proceeding from 
that source ; but we observe that you have not given an an- 
swer to our enquiry as to the expence which the application of 
the remedy you have discovered would be attended with, by 
the hundred, or thousand, or any given number of trees, in 
case there should be occasion to apply it to a very considerable 
number: We therefore repeat our request, that you will be 




OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 



211 



so good as to inform us, as nearly as you can, whereabouts 
would be the expence of such application, including labour, 
materials, and all incidental charges, but exclusive of any re- 
ward to yourself for disclosing the composition for the benefit 
of the public, which we conceive should be given separately. 
We are. Sir, 

Your most obedient Servants, 

JOHN CALL, 
JOHN FORDYCE. 

Mr, William Forsyth. 



No. 3. 

To the Honourable the Commissioners of the Land Revenue. 

Royal Gardens, Kensington, April 28, 1789, 

HONOURED SIRS, 

I PRESUME I need not again assign the reason why I 
omitted in my former letter, mentioning the expence which- 
will be incurred by cutting out the injured Darts of the trees, 
and the application of my composition. I have endeavoured 
to think of every probable charge that will accrue ; and, upon 
an accurate calculation, am convinced it will not exceed six- 
pence per tree. It may not be improper here to observe, that 
this calculation includes the labour of the men for the opera- 
tion ; the composition, and the application of it ; and also an 
after review, that the healing of the trees is going on well ; 
but I should also observe, that in this expence I have not put 
down any thing for myself, leaving that wholly and altogether 
to your further consideration. 

I am, honoured Sirs, 

With great respect, 

Your most obedient. 

Humble Servant, 

WILLIAM FORSYTH. 



( 212 ) 



No. 4. 

RESOLVED, 

That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, 
that he will be graciously pleased to give directions for mak- 
ing such enquiries as shall be thought necessary for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining the efficacy of a remedy invented by 
William Forsyth, for curing defects in trees, arising from in- 
juries in the bark ; and in case the same shall appear likely to 
be of public utility, to order such recompence to be made to 
the said William Forsyth on the disclosure thereof, as his Ma- 
jesty shall judge proper ^ and to assure his Majesty, that this 
house will make good the same. 



No. 5. 

Zand Revenue Office^ Scotland Tard^ Dec, 11, 1790* 

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 

Having represented to the Lords Commissioners of his 
Majesty's Treasury, that, in pursuance of their Lordships de- 
sire, we had written to the several noblemen and gentlemen 
mentioned in the list, of which a copy was sent to each of you, 
requesting to know whether they would have the goodness to 
make the necessary examinations and enquiries^ to ascertain 
the effect of the experiments made by Mr. Forsyth, of the 
composition discovered by him for curing defects in trees ; 
and that twelve of those noblemen and gentlemen, here under 
named, and to whom this letter is addressed, had signified 
their willingness to assist in the proposed examination ; we 
have now the honour to inform you, that their lordships have 
been pleased to signify to us, that they approve of their exam- 
ination being made by those noblemen aiid gentlemen, or any 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 213 



seven or more of them ; and to request that you will be pleased 
to take such steps as you shall think necessary, for ascertaining 
the efficacy of the said composition for curing injuries and de- 
fects in trees, and to address the result of your examination to 
the lords of the treasury. 

Among the uses to which the composition in question is 
said to be applicable, that which appears to us more immedi- 
ately connected with the objects referred by parliament to our 
consideration, is, the cure of injuries and defects in forest- 
trees, especially the oak : And we beg leave particularly to re- 
commend it to you to examine, 

Whether the composition appears to be efficacious for the 
purpose of restoring the bark of an oak-tree which has been 
either cut or accidentally torn off, so as to prevent such in- 
juries or defects in the timber as are commonly found to pro- 
ceed from that cause ; 

And whether the application of the composition to the 
parts of forest-trees where limbs or branches have been cut or 
torn off, appears to be efficacious for the preventing or curing 
injuries and defects in timber, proceeding from that cause ? 

We presume, with great difference, that you will think it 
proper to point out any other uses to which the composition 
may appear to you to be applicable, with advantage to the pub- 
lic ; and we request that you will be pleased to favour us with a 
copy of your resolutions, or report to the treasury thereon. 

We have the honour to be, 

My Lords and Gentlemen, 

Your most obedient humble Servants, 

CHARLES MIDDLETON, 
JOHN CALL, 
JOHN FORDYCE. 

The Marquis of Ahercorn. 
Earl of Upper Ossory. 
Lord Viscount Barrington. 
Lord Frederick Campbell. 
Sir George Tonge, Bart, K, B» 
John Rolle, Esq. 
Philip Stephens, Esq, 
C. M. Pierrepont, Esq. 
William Pulteney, Esq. 
Robert Barclay, Esq. 
Hans Shane, Esq. 
William Mainwaring^ Esq. 

F f 



C 214 ) 



To the Lords Commissimers of his Majesty^ s Treasury. 

MY LORDSj 

Having met on Saturday, at Kensington, incompliance 
with the desires of your Lordships, communicated to us by 
the Commissioners of the Land Revenue, we endeavoured to 
take every measure for the investigation requested of us that 
the time and circumstances permitted ; and we conceive that 
the best and most satisfactory mode of reporting to your lord- 
ships the result of that investigation will be, to specify, as shortly 
as may be, the steps we took ; the observations we made ; and 
our opinions, founded both upon what we ourselves saw, and 
upon such documents as appeared to us authentic and convinc« 
ing. 

After referring to the last letter addressed to us by the 
Commissioners, in order that we might keep in view, as much 
as possible, the objects more particularly recommended to our 
attention, we proceeded first to read a statement by Mr, For- 
syth of the properties of his composition, and then to inspect 
and examine the various specimens and documents laid before 
us by him, tending to prove and illustrate those properties. 

Our investigation, thus far, having proved as satisfactory 
as the nature of it admitted, we thought it right to require Mr. 
Forsyth to shew us such trees in Kensington Gardens as (hav- 
ing brien injured or decayed bv whatever cause) had been bene- 
fited by the application of this composition ; and we desired 
him to shew us what specimens he could of such trees in all the 
stages of their amendment and recovery. In consequence of 
this requisition, we were conducted to many forest-trees of 
different kinds, viz. elms, limes, and horse-chesnuts in which 
holes a,nd wounds, in some instances several feet in length, and 
of a considerable width and depth, had been completely filled 
up with sound wood, so as the outline of the wound remained 
barely discernible in the bark. We examined many others in 
an evident state of progress towards a similar cure, and we 
could not discover any one of the experiments that fell under 
our observation, of which we had the least reason to doubt the 
success. We examined also several experiments upon trees 
which standing near each other, had been cut down, and to the 
ptems of which the compositioii had been applied, while the 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 215 



others had been left to nature : The uniform result of these 
experiments appeared, that those stems to which the composi- 
tion had been applied had shot up into healthy vigourous treesj 
in far less time than we should have conceived possible : While 
those, left to unassisted nature, had only produced irregular, 
unhealthy shoots, and were apparently in a state of decay. 
Several experiments had also been made on decayed and hol- 
low stumps (where little or nothing but bark remained) of 
elms of very considerable size and age : From these stumps, 
by the application of the composition, healthy trees have issued, 
which have, in the space of five, six, seven, or eight years, at- 
tained to a size and height which it appears to us that trees 
sown or planted seldom attain to in thrice the time. With a 
view to ascertain, as far as was in my power, the quality of 
that wood which by the application of the composition had 
been formed in the decayed and injured parts of trees, we cut 
pieces of it out, and compared them with other pieces cut out 
of the original wood of the same trees, and, after as accurate a 
secreting and comparison as we were enabled to make, we could 
not discover any difference either in the colour or texture. 

Upon our observing to Mr. Forsyth, that we had not yet 
seen any specimens of the operations of his composition upon 
oak-trees, he informed us, that having at first confined his ex- 
periments to other trees, which were in a state of greater de- 
cay, he had none of the same date (viz. from two to eight years) 
to shew us, but that we might see many specimens, of near two 
years standing, equal in their progress to the rest : According- 
ly, we examined various experiments upon oaks ; of which the 
progressive state was so perfectly similar to that of the other 
species of trees, that we should not be justified in any (ioubt 
upon that head ; the event, also, of comparing the new wood 
with the old was the same. 

To report at large our observations upon the effects of the 
composition applied to the different fruit-trees, would be litde 
more than a repetition of what we have already said ; the time 
of the year would only allow us to remark the rapid growth of 
the branches and shoots wherever the composition had been 
applied to the most decayed and injured stems. 

We deem it' unnecessary to enter into any detail of the 
collateral information and documents which confirmed the im- 
pressions resulting from our personal observations, persuaded 
that your lordships will believe we omitted no means in our 
power to form our judgments. 

We will therefore only add, that, from all we saw and 
heard, we have reason to believe, and consequently do not hesi- 



^16 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



tate to express our conviction, that Mr. Forsyth's composition 
is a discovery which maybe highly beneficial both to individuals 
and the public. 

We have the honour to be 

Your Lordships obedient Servants, 

ABERCORN, 

FREDERICK CAMPBELL, 
WILLIAM PULTENEY, 
CHARLES PIERREPONT, 
HANS SLOANE, 
GEORGE YONGE, 
PHILIP STEPHENS, 
ROBERT BARCLAY, 
JOHN ROLLE, 
WILLIAM MAINWARING, 



No. 6, 



I 



N consequence of an address of the House of Commons to 
his Majesty, and of an examination made by 

The Marquis of Abercorn, Sir George Tonge, Bart* 

Lord Frederick Campbell, Philip Stephens, Esq. 

William Pulteney, Esq* Robert Barclay, Esq, 

Charles Pierrepont, Esq. John Rolle, Esq. and 

Hans Sloane, Esq. William Mainwaring, Esq, 

and their report to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's 
Treasury, respecting the efficacy of a composition discovered 
by Mr. William Forsyth, for curing injuries and defects in 
trees, his Majesty has been pleased to grant a reward to Mr. 
Forsyth, for disclosing the method of making and using that 
composition ; and the following directions for that purpose are 
published accordingly ; 



( 217 ) 



Royal Gardens, Kensington, May, 11, 17'91, 

Directions for making a Composition for curiiig Diseases^ Defects^, 
and Injuries^ in all kinds of Fruit and Forest-Trees^ and the 
Method of preparing the Trees and laying on the Composi" 
tion^ by William Forsyth. 

Take one bushel of fresh cow dung, half a bushel of lime 
rubbish of old buildings (that from the ceilings of rooms is 
preferable), half a bushel of wood ashes, and a sixteenth part 
of a bushel of pit or river sand : The three last articles are to 
be sifted fine before they are mixed ; then work them well to^ 
gether with a spade, and afterwards with a wooden beater, 
until the stuff is very smooth, like fine plaster used for the ceil- 
ings of rooms. 

The composition being thus made, care must be taken to 
prepare the tree properly for its application, by cutting away 
all the dead, decayed, and injured part, till you come to the 
fresh sound wood, leaving the surface of the wood, very smooth, 
and rounding off the edges of the bark with a draw-knife, or 
other instrument, perfectly smooth, which must be particularly 
attended to ; then lay on the plaster about one eighth of an 
inch thick, all over the part where the wood or bark has been so 
cut away, finishing off the edges as thin as possible : Then take 
a quantity of dry powder of wood ashes mixed with a sixth part 
of the same quantity of the ashes of burnt bones ; put it into 
a tin box, with holes in the top, and shake the powder on the 
surface of the plaster, till the whole is covered over with it^ 
letting it remain for half an hour, to absorb the moisture ; then 
apply more powder, rubbing it on gently with the hand, and 
repeating the application of the powder till the whole plaster be- 
comes a dry smooth surface. 

All trees cut down near the ground should have the sur- 
face made quite smooth, rounding it off in a small degree, a& 
before mentioned ; and the dry powder directed to be used af- 
terwards should have an equal quantity of powder of alabaster 
mixed with it, in order the better to resist the dripping of trees 
and heavy rains. 

If any of the composition be left for a future occasion, it 
should be kept in a tub, or other vessel^ and urin^ of any kind 



218 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



poured on it, so as to cover the surface ; otherwise the atmos- 
phere v/ill greatly hurt the efficacy of the application. 

Where lime rubbish of old buildings cannot be easily got, 
take pounded chalk, or common lime, after having been slaked 
a month at least, 

As the growth of the tree will gradually aifect the plaster, 
by raising up its edges next the bark, care should be taken, 
where that happens, to rub it over with the finger when occa- 
sion may require (which is best done when moistened by rain), 
that the plaster may be kept whole, to prevent the air and wet 
from penetrating into the v/ound. 

WILLIAM FORSYTH. 

William Forsyth, of Kensington, in the county of Mid- 
dlesex, gardener, maketh oath, and saith, that the 
foregoing is a true account of the method of making 
and using the composition discovered by him for cur- 
ing diseases, defects, and injuries, in fruit and forest- 
trees : and which composition was applied by him to 
the trees in his Majesty's gardens at Kensington, 
shewn to the noblemen and gentlemen to whom it 
was referred to examine the efficacy of the said com- 
position. 

WILLIAM FORSYTH. 

Sworn at the Land Revenue Office in Scotland Yard, 
the eleventh day of May, 1791, before us, 

CHARLES MIDDLETON, 
JOHN CALL, 
JOHN FORDTCE. 



( 219 ) 



No. 7. 

Additional I^irections for making and using the Composition^ 

TTo the foregoing directions for making and applying the 
composition, it is necessary to add the following. 

As the best way of using the composition is found, by ex- 
perience, to be in a liquid state ; it must, therefore, be re- 
duced to the consistence of pretty thick paint, by mixing it up 
with a sufficient quantity of urine and soap-suds, and laid on 
with a painter's brush. The powder of wood-ashes and burnt 
bones is to be applied as before directed, patting it down with 
the hand- 
When trees are become hollow, you must scoop out all 
the rotten, loose, and dead parts of the trunk till you come to 
the solid wood, leaving the surface smooth ; then cover the 
hollow, and every part where the canker has been cut out, or 
branches lopped off, with the composition ; and, as the edges 
grow, take care not to let the new wood come in contact with 
the dead, part of v/hich it may be sometimes necessary to 
leave; but cut out the old dead wood as the new advances, 
keeping a hollow betv/een theiTi, to allow the new wood room 
to extend itself, and thereby fill up the cavity, which it will do 
in time, so as to make as it v/ere a new tree. If the cavity be 
large, you may cut away as much at one operation as will be 
sufficient for three years. But in this you are to be guided by 
the size of the wound, and other circumstances. When the 
new wood, advancing from both sides of the wound, has al- 
most met, cut off the bark from both the edges, that the solid 
wood may join, which, if properly managed, it will do, leav- 
ing only a slight seam in the bark. If the tree be very much 
decayed, do not cut away all the dead wood at once, which 
would weaken the tree too much, if a standard, and endanger 
its being blown down by the wind. It will, therefore, be ne- 
cessary to leave part of the dead v/ood, at. first to strengthen 
th e tree, and to cut it out by degrees as the new wood is formed. 
If there be any canker, or gum oozing, the infected parts must 
be pared off, or cut out with a proper instrument. When the 
stem is very much decayed, and hollow, it will be necessary 
to open the ground and examine the roots ; then proceed as 
directed for hollow peach-trees; {See Plates and 5, v/hich 



220 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, 



shew the manner of preparing hollow trees, and also the grow- 
ing of the wood.] 

Some months before the publication of the " Observa- 
tions on the Diseases, &c. in Fruit and Forest-Trees," I had 
tried the composition in a liquid state, but did not think my- 
self warranted to make it public until I had experienced its 
effects through the winter. The success answered my most 
sanguine expectations ; and I have used it in that way ever 
since. By using the composition in a liquid state, more than 
three-fourths of the time and labour is saved ; and I £nd it is 
not so liable to be thrown off as the lips grow, as when laid on 
in the consistence of plaster : It adheres firmly to the naked 
part of the wound, and yet easily gives way as the new wood 
and bark advances. 

The first time that I tried the composition in a liquid form 
%vas upon an elm which had been planted about twenty years. 
Ii had been very much bruised by the roller, had several cavi- 
ties in it, and was very much bark-bound besides. Having 
prepared the wounds, and applied the composition with a pain- 
ter's brush, I took my knife and scarified the tree in four places; 
I also shaved off, with a draw knife, all the cankery outer 
bark, and covered the whole tree with the composition, shak- 
ing the powder of wood-ashes and burnt bones all over it. A 
very heavy rain began in the evening and continued all night ; 
yet, to my great surprize, in the morning, I found that only 
some of the powder, which had not had time to dry and in- 
corporate with the composition, was washed off. I now re- 
peated the powder, and, without any thing more being done to 
the tree, the wounds healed up and the bark was restored so 
completely, that, three years ago, it could hardly be discern- 
-ed where the wounds had been. The scarifications had also 
disappeared. Some of the wounds were thirteen inches long, 
eight broad, and three deep. Since the time when it was 
scarified, the tree has increased ten inches more in circum.- 
ference than a healthy tree planted at the same time with it 
about sixteen feet distant, which was not scarified. 



SUPPLEMENT. 



G g 



SUPPLEMENT. 



Success of several Experiments^ since the Publication of Oh* 
sermtions on the Diseases, Defects, Sffc," 

Since I published my " Observations on the Diseases, De- 
fects, and Injuries in Fruit and Forest- Trees," I have been as- 
siduous in making experiments for the sake of improvements 
A great many hollow trees that had, when I took them in hand, 
little more than the bark remaining sound, have within these 
few years been entirely filled up? Others, that were headed 
down within a few feet of the ground, have their stumps now 
completely covered by the leading shoot, forming handsome 
trees ; and the places where they were headed are only discern- 
ed by a faint cicatrix. Of a great many, I shall only parti- 
cularize a few instances. 

A lime^-tree, about eighteen inches in diameter, whose 
trunk was decayed and hollow from top to bottom, to which, 
after cutting out the decayed wood, I had applied the compo- 
sition about sixteen years ago, was cut down last year on pur- 
pose to examine the progress it had made in the interior part, 
and Was found entirely filled up with new sound wood, which 
had completely incorporated with what little old wood remained 
when I first took it in hand. The body of this tree I had cut 
in short lengths, which 1 have now in my possession, to shew 
to any gentleman who wishes to be convinced of the fact. An 
old elm whose inside was totally decayed, and out of which, at 
different times, were taken two large cart loads of rotten wood, 
has made shoots upwards of twenty feet high in the course 
of six years. Another elm, on the IPalace Green, which was 
headed about twenty feet from the ground, has produced a 
shoot forty-six feet high, and five feet nine inches in circumfe- 
rence. A lime, cut down near the ground, has now a shoot 
twenty feet high which entirely covers the stump, forming a 
fine tree twenty-one inches in circumference. A Sycamore 
treated in the same manner is now thirty feet high, and twenty- 
six inches in circumference. Another is thirty feet high, and 



S24 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



two feet in circumference. These are now fine thriving trees, 
and the cicatrices hardly discernible. 

A Horse-Chesnut headed down has produced, from its 
hollow stump, four fue shoots, one of which is cut down ; the 
other three are upwards of thirty feet high, and one of them 
is twenty-six inches in circumference. Two of the remaining 
three are to be cut down, leaving only one to form the body 
of the tree. A lime, whose hollow part is eleven feet high, is 
also filling up ; the tree is a foot in diameter. A decayed 
part, four feet high and twenty eight inches broad in a large 
elm, is now filling up rapidly with sound wood. About two 
feet and a half in length on one side, which was for some time 
left to nature, still cortinued to decay till the composition was 
applied: New wood and bark are now forming. An elm, at 
the back of the old fruit-room, near the garden wall, which 
was entirely hollow, was also headed down : The new head 
now spreads about twenty-four feet, and is eighteen feet high. 
Another large hollow elm near the last was headed down ; it 
afterwards produced a shoot sixty feet high, and three feet 
and a half in circumference ; the hollow was upwards of two 
feet in diameter. There are a great many other elms, some 
of which h^d wounds ten feet long and two feet broad, now 
entirely filled up ; besides many sycamores, oaks, and other 
forest-trees, all restored to a flourishing state, by having the 
dead wood cut out and the composition applied. An oak that 
was headed down about six vears ago is represented in plate 12, 

In hollow trees, the rotten and decayed wood must be cut 
out at different times, as the new wood comes in contact with 
it ; but great care must be taken not to cut out too much at once, 
but to leave enough to support the tree and prevent it from be- 
ing blown down by high winds, till the new is strong enough 
for that purpose : The remainder may^ then be cut out. 

A number of instances of the success attending mv me- 
thod of pruning and training might be adduced; but I shall 
notice only the following. 

Mr. Aberdeen, gardener to John Sullivan, Esq. at Rich- 
ings near Windsor, has followed it for some time with great 
success both in the house and on the natm^al wall. 

Having heard for several years of the very fine and large 
crops that were produced in the forcing houses belonging to 
John Julius Angerstein, Esq. at Woodland House, on Black- 
heath, I was induced to take a journey thither, in company with 
John Wedgwood, Esq. to see what method was pursued to 
obtain such crops. On enquiry, Mr. Stuart, the gardener, 
candidly told me, that several years ago he had been at Ken- 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 225 



sington Gardens, where he saw my method of pruning and 
training, was convinced of its advantages above the old, and had 
adopted it with great success. Indeed, there were, at the time 
I was there, the finest and largest crops of grapes that I had 
ever seen in any forcing houses. Two houses, in particular, 
were covered from top to bottom with fine grapes, and the 
vines trained in the serpentine manner. 

John Wedgwood, Esq. of Cote House near Bristol, a gen- 
tleman who is much attached to gardening and planting, telis 
me, that he has practised my mode of pruning and training 
fruit-trees, particularly peaches and nectarines, in his houses ; 
and that he is highly pleased with the method, which has been 
attended with great success. 

Lord Frederick Campbell has lately favoured me vnth a list 
of eighty-five fruit-trees, of different kinds, that were headed 
down, in his gardens at Coomb Bank in Kent, in the }xars 1798 
and 1799 ; and afterwards trained and pruned accordmg to my 
method ; many of them before heading down, were in a very 
cankery, unfruitful state, and overgrown with moss : These 
are now in a fruitful, healthy, and flourishing condition, some 
of the espaliers have made shoots from two to three yards long, 
and upwards. These trees were cut and prepared by Mr. Wil- 
liams, who had been for some time accustomed to my way of 
treating such trees, and whom I recommended to his Lordship 
as a gardener. These trees are very proper patterns for any 
gentlemen in the neighbourhood, who wish to give the compo- 
sition, and method of training and pruning, recommended in 
this treatise, a fair trial. 

Several successful trials have also been made at the Duke 
of Dorset's seat, at Knowle in Kent, at Hatfield House, the 
seat of the Marquis of Salisbury, and at a great many other 
places; and experiments are now making at Sir Henry Strachey's 
at Rook's Nest, near Godstone, in Surrey. 

Although I do not mean to enter at large on the culture 
and management of forest-trees ; yet as the following observa- 
tions on raising oaks, and directions for planting chesnuts for 
underwood, may be of considerable service, I shall, without 
any farther apology, lay them before m}^ readers. 

The best Way of raising Oaks, 

It is a generally received opinion, that when an oak loses 
its tap-root in transplanting, it never produces another; but 
this I have proved to be a mistake, by an experiment which I 
made on a bed of oak plants in the year 1789. I transplanted 
them into a fresh bed in the forementioned year, cutting the 



226 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &c. 



tap-roots near to some of the small side-roots or fibres shoot- 
ing from them. In the second year after, I headed one half of 
the plants down, as directed fqr chesnuts, and left the other 
half to nature. In the first season, those headed down made 
shoots six feet long and upwards, and completely covered the 
tops of the old stems, leaving only a faint cicatrix, and had pro- 
duced new tap-roots upwards of two feet and a half long. One 
of these trees I left at the Land Revenue Office, for the inspec- 
tion of the commissioners, and to shew the advantage of trans- 
planting and heading down young oaks, when done in a proper 
manner. By this mode of treatment they grow more in one 
year than in six when raised in the common way. The other 
half of the plants, that were not headed down, are not one fourth 
the size of the others. One of the former is now eighteen 
feet high, and, at six inches from the ground, measures fifteen 
inches in circumference ; at three feet from the ground, ten 
inches ; and at six feet, nine inches and a half ; while one of 
the largest of the latter measures only five feet and a half high, 
and three inches and three quarters in circumference, at six 
inches from the ground. This is a convincing proof, that 
transplanting and heading down oaks is the most successful and 
advantageous way of treating them ; and by it they are sooner 
out of danger from cattle, as well as from vermin, which are 
frequently very injurious to young trees. 

Of raising Chesnuts for Underxvood, 

As the chesnut is the best and most durable wood for stakes, 
hop-poles, &c. I shall give some directions how to plant them 
to the best advantage for copse wood. 

For this purpose, the ground should be trenched or plough- 
ed, and well summer-fallowed. After the fall of the leaf, plant 
the young trees in the quincunx order, in rows six feet apart, 
and at the distance of six feet in the rows from plant to plant, 
if you are forming large plantations, the most expeditious way 
will be to plant after the plough, treading the earth firmly about 
the roots of the plants. It v/ill be necessary to form basons 
round the plants on purpose to mulch them, if it should happen 
to be a dry season the first summer after planting. It may, 
perhaps, be a saving of time to put the plants in loosely at first, 
that you may be able to keep up with the plough, and to return 
afterwards to tread the mould, and form the basons for mulch- 
ing. 

When the trees are become fit for poles, every other one 
may be cut down almost close to the ground, throughout the 
plantation ; always observing to cut in a sloping manner, and 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 527 

as near to an eye as may be. Those that you intend for timber 
should be left in every other row, which will leave them twelve 
feet apart every way ; but if the soil be rich and deep, it may 
be necessary to leave them twenty-four feet apart. In many 
counties, particularly Hertfordshire, the underwood is more 
valuable than timber ; in that case it will be more judicious to 
leave but few trees for that purpose : In the mean time the un- 
derwood will amply repay you for the expence of planting, &c. 
besides the rent of the ground, while at the same time you have 
a sufficient crop of timber on the ground. In Kent, they gene- 
rally plant out chesnuts and ash for hop-poles at three years old, 
and cut them fourteen years after, which makes in all, seven- 
teen years before they are fit to cut ; and they bring from one 
guinea and a half to two guineas per hundred ; but if they were 
raised from large stools, properly cut and the composition ap- 
plied, they would be fit for cutting in less than one third of that 
time, and of course, the value of the land would be tripled. 



( 228 ) 



LETTERS 

ON THE 

Effect of the Composition in all Climates, 

The following letters, &c. are inserted to shew that the 
composition, when properly applied, is found to be equally 
efficacious in all climates, soils, and situations. Indeed, all 
who have given it a fair trial are so fully convinced of its utili- 
ty, that many noblemen and gentlemen have sent their garden- 
ers to me for instructions. The Chevalier D'Almeida, the 
Portuguese Ambassador, had a person sent from Portugal for 
the same purpose ; and some Polish noblemen, who had seen 
the trees in Kensington Gardens, were so fully convinced of 
the great advantage to be deprived from the application of the 
composition, as to send a man for instructions, that he might 
introduce the practice into Poland. 



Copy of a Letter from the EconomiccCl Society of St» Petersburg. 

Imperial Corps of Land Cadets, in St. Petersburg, 
January 9, 1792. 

SIR, 

As a Member of the Economical Society of St. Peters- 
burg, his Excellency Count Anhalt solicits me to express, in 
your own language, the pleasure which the communication of 
your useful discovery has given him, and the learned body 
over whom he so worthily presides. The Count has already 
taken the necessary steps, by desire of the Society, to have 
your little dissertation translated and printed in the Russian 
language, in order to diffuse the advantage it holds out, as 
widely as possible, over this vast empire. 1 am happy in the 



OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES. 229 

©pportunity his commission ofFers, of expressing likewise indi- 
vidually the satisfaction I have received, as a countryman and 
lover of Botany, from the perusal of your sagacious applica- 
tion of the Chirurgicai art to vegetation ; and must own, that 
your extirpation of the diseased parts, and the use of an un- 
guent to ward off the noxious action of the air and humidity, 
during the exertions of nature to repair loss of substance, 
and the languid circulation of the vegetable juices, appear to 
me highly judicious. The analogy in certain respects between 
the inferior order of beings, so particularly your care, and the 
more animated link of the great chain of Creation, seems to 
become every day more and more apparent. Nay, if we are 
to credit the ingenious author of the Philosophy of Natural 
History, lately published in Edinburgh, it is not a little evi- 
dent ; and incleed the great number of curious facts and ob- 
servations which he has brought together render his phrase, 
which I have used above, much less improper than it would 
have otherwise appeared on the face of the case. All these 
considerations then make me see, with the more pleasure, the 
sagacious application of at least one branch of the healing art 
to ascertain diseases of vegetables, to the advantage of the 
world in general, and the British Navy in particular, which 
must gain infinitely by the preservation and health of British 
Oak, unrivalled for the noble purpose to which it is applied. 

I have still to congratulate you on your becoming, so 
deservedly, a member of our Society ; for sure no treatise ever 
laid before us promised a wider field of public and private eco- 
nomy, and of course none ever came more immediately under 
the spirit and purport of our institution. 

1 am, Sir, with hearty wishes for the success and extend^ 
ed range of your pursuit. 

Your most obedient, humble Servant, 

(Signed J MATTHEW GUTHRIE, 

To Mr, Forsyth, Kensington. 

PS. As the extremes of our climate mav produce cases 
which are not likely to happen in your temperate island. Count 
Anhaltwill be happy to see more observations on such accidents 
in any future letter vou may address to the Society. A paper 
of mine on the Russian Climate, in the second volume of the 
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of Edin- 
burgh, may probably alford you all the information necessary 
to judge of what modification your system may require in this 
countrv, although I do think it applicable every where, with 

H h 



230 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, he. 

possibly some little alteration in the consistence of your plas- 
ter, to suit extremes of heat and cold. This letter being of a 
public nature, intended to testify the sense of the Economi- 
cal Societv of Petersburg, on your useful discovery, you may 
make what use of it you please. 



Copy of a Letter from George Sulhan Marten^ Esq. 

Enston, OxfordsMre, July 30, ISOO. 

SIR, 

Understanding there exists some doubt how far 
your vegetable piaster answers in hot climates, I canno. in jus- 
tice hesitate to inform you, that it was in constant and success- 
ful use not only in my own ga.rden in the district of Trin- 
sivellv, four hundred miles South of Madras, but also in the 
Company's Cinnamon Plantation which I had the pleasure of 
forming there, and wntre, from the method of cultivating that 
spice, the trees are always cut down to stumps. Y.»ur plaster 
at these times was always applied, which stopped the bleed- 
ing, and hastened out the shoots (from whence the best cinna- 
mon is taken) much quicker than the former mode (and which 
is still practised in Ceylon I believe) of heaping the ea'-th over 
them. Nor was my experiei ce confined ; for, when I quitted 
India in October 1798, I left one hundred and fifty thousand 
trees and plnnts in the Trins.vrllv Ptai tations, all of which I 
hadpl mted from the seed oi two trees brought Trom the island 
of Ceylon by iSIrs. Light, which are yet flourishing, I dare 
say, in the Commercial Resident's garden. 

I likewise applied your plaster with equal success to the 
fruit-trees of the country. But to an old Pumbilmos, or Shad- 
dock tree, which was alm':^st throughout decayed, and which 
1 had to fill up with the plaster after the dead wood was taken 
out, it produced wonderiul renovation. I derived too much 
benefit from this composition to finish without assuring vou, 
that I will with much pleasure give you any lurther informa- 
tion as to its success in hot countries that came within my ob- 
servation during the use of it for several years in the district 
of Trinsivelly, 

I am, Sir, 

Your most obedient Servant, 

(Signed J GEORGE SULIVAN MARTEN. 

To Mr Forsyth, 



( 231 ) 



Copy of a Letter from John Wedgwood^ Esq> 

Cote House, Nov. 14, 1800. 

DEAR SIR, 

Wh EN you were with me you expressed a wish to have 
the number of peach and nectarine trees which I had on my 
walls that had been dressed with your composition. These 
trees were part of a set which I bought in a lot, and which had 
been left to grow rude against an old wall, so that they ap- 
peared to be gone past all cure. Many were eaten up with 
the canker, and many were become so naked at the bottom 
that they gave but little room to imagine they could be brought 
into any form. I planted them against my walls in the be- 
ginning of the year, where they were left unpruned till the 
middle of May. The gardener then gave them a severe cut- 
ting in, and, as he went on, constantly dressing them with 
your composition, carefully eradicating all the canker* lean 
now safely say, that they are as free from canker as any trees 
I ever saw, and full of fruit-bearing wood, many of them 
brought into excellent form, and all of them, except some 
few which died in the summer, promising to make verv useful 
and profitable trees ; so that if I had occasion to new stock my 
walls, I shculd as willingly purchase another such lot as to 
buy regular trained trees from a nurserv. Provided the roots 
are good, I am convinced from experience, that the older the 
tree the more profitable it will be, as in the case of the trees 
above described ; all the voung shoots are covered with blos- 
som buds in great profusion. 

The following is the list of the trees, and the aspects of 
the walls on which they are planted, 

19 Peach and Nectarine Trees on a new wall by the hot- 
house. East aspect. 
16 do. . , do. .... on another, East aspect. 
19 do. . . do. .... on the same aspect. 

5 do. . , do on a South aspect. 

2 do. , , do on another South wall. 

4 do on another South wall. 



65 in all. 



232 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, 5cc. 



These are exclusive of many trees that were on the walls 
before, and which have been much benefited by being dressed 
with your composition. I am so fully aware of the excellence 
of the composition, that I do not permit the gardener to prune 
any plants without immediately using it. If you think these 
remarks can be of any service, you have my permission to 
make any use of them. 

I am, dear Sir, 

Yours sincerely, 

(Signed) JOHN WEDGWOOD. 



Extract of a Letter from Thomas Davis., Esq. Author of the 
Agricultural Survey of Wiltshire, 

June 28, 1801. 

A WAS happy in having an opportunity the other day of 
shewing the effects of your plaster (in recovering the bark of 
oak-trees of 4 or 500 years old, which had begun to rot up- 
wards from the ground, and is now recovering downwards very 
rapidly,) to Lord Spencer., who was both pleased and astonished 
with it. 

" You may at any time refer to 7ne for proofs if you want 
them. I made a bold experiment seven years ago on an oak- 
tree 40 feet high and 16| feet round, worth £,^0 at least to a 
Carpenter to cut to pieces, and such a tree as the King has not 
ten in his dominions. There was a craze in the side of it, 
which looked like a shake, and spoiled its beauty. I cut out 
the bark on each side the fissure so as to make the opening 6 or 
7 inches wide. I coated it well with plaster, and it is now per- 
fectly united and sound." 



( 233 ) 



Directions for Heading down Orange-Trees, 

TuST as the manuscript was going to the press, Mr. Rade- 
maker, the Portuguese Agent in London, called and told me, 
that he had received a letter from the Chevalier d' Almeida, 
the late Ambassador from Portugal at this court, informing him, 
that on his return home he had found the orange-tress on the 
Prince of Brazil's plantations in a very unhealthy and decayed 
state ; and requesting him to apply to me for some of the com- 
position, and a copy of the pamphlet " On the Diseases, &c. 
in Fruit and Forest-Trees as he wished to make trial of it on 
the trees of that country. 

Accordingly, I have sent a cask of the composition, with 
directions for preparing the trees, and laying it on. 

When it is found necessar}^ to head down orange-trees, I 
would advise not to cut them quite down to the stem ; but to 
leave two or three inches of the branches ; some more, some 
less ; always remembering to cut near to a joint, and in such a 
manner as to form a handsome head ; and to apply the com- 
position immediately. In doing this, however, it will be ne- 
cessary to leave a few young shoots to draw up the sap. If 
the trees are infested with insects, the stems must be wash- 
ed with soap-suds and urine, and well scrubbed with a hard 
brush. 

About twelve years ago the orange-trees in the green house 
in Kensington gardens were so m^uch infested with a species of 
coccus, that I was obliged to head them all down, and clean off 
the insects as above directed ; applying the composition imme- 
diately after. These trees throve amazingly ; and in three 
years, without any bottom heat, the heads were as large as be- 
fore they were cut ; and they still continue in a flourishing and 
fruitful state. 

I would advise to rub off the side shoots, as directed for 
other fruit-trees, and to keep the heads thin of wood. 

I thought it proper to insert the above for the information 
of those who have orange-trees in this country, as well as for 
those who have them abroad. 



EXPLANATIONS 

OP 

THE ENGRAVINGS, ' 



FlaUl. 




i 



C 237 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 1. 
Fig. 1. 

Represents an old apricot-tree, after the last pruning in 
summer, in the fourth year after heading down. The lower 
part of the trunk is represented as covered with a rough bark, 
which must be pared off when it happens to be cankery, 

(7, a. The cicatrices of the four different years' head* 
ing, which should be performed at the time of the winter or 
spring pruning. 

b» Forked shoots which are laid in, in summer, and 
cut off at b in the winter pruning, that the leading shoots may 
be always left without forks. 

As the small shoots c, c, c, from the stem, advance, the 
larger forked shoots should be cut out, as at d^ to make 
room for them to be trained horizontally. 

fig-. 2. 

Is an old branch of an apricot trained up according to the 
old method, leaving above three-fourths of the wall naked. 
Such branches should be cut down as near to the place where 
the tree was first budded as possible, as at on purpose to fill 
the wall with fine new wood. 



( 238 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 2. 

An old hollow Green Gage Plum-Tree the second year 
after heading down. This tree was very much deca^^ed, hav- 
ing only a few inches of sound bark ; many of the roots, being 
also rotten and decayed, were cut off, and an incision made at 
a, which produced a fresh root. 

b. The first heading, close to a bud. 

c, c. The new wood and bark growing over the hollow 
part d, which is covered with the composition. 

e, ^c. Where the second year's heading was per-* 
formed. 

f^f. Where the fore-right shoots are cut off during the 
winter or spring pruning. 

S-> ^» '^^'^^ irmt buds for next year, as they appear 
after the fore-right shoots are cut off, as at /, f^. 

Fig. 2. 

A branch on a larger scale, to shew the manner of cutting 
those fore-right shoots which are full of fruit buds. This 
should be done at /z, /z, but not till the fruit is set ; they after- 
wards form into dugs as below, in the same figure. 

Fig. 3. 

An old branch pruned in the common way, covered over 
with canker, and producing only small weak shoots, leaving 
the wall mostly naked. 

* Owing to an error of the engraver, the f,f are omitted. They should 
be at the forks in the two lower branches. The g which is furthest to the left 
hand should not be there at all. Where the fork is, the shoot is cut off, which 
brings out the little new shoot. The long shoot is left in the plate to show 
»'hat it was before it was cut off. 



Ml 



f 239 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 3. 
Fig.l. 

An old hollow peach-tree, after the last nailing in sum- 
mer, which had been headed down at a, four years ago. The 
hollow is covered over with the composition, and now nearly 
filled up. The heading must always be done as near to a bud 
as possible. 

by by ^c. Where the forked branches are to be cut, when 
the small shoots c, c, £s?c, are far enough advanced, that these 
may be trained horizontally. 

When a shoot has single fruit-buds to the top, as at dy it 
must not be shortened but laid in at full length ; or, if not 
wanted it must be cut clean out. 

Fig. 2. 
A branch on a larger scale, 

Cy €, Are double fiower-buds, with wood-buds between 
them : The shoots should always be cut at such ; but never at 
a single flower-bud, as at^; otherwise the shoot would die to 
the next wood-bud ; arid, if the pruning were done in a care- 
less manner, would endanger the whole shoot. Those above fy 
are all wood-buds. 

Fig. 3. 

A branch of an old peach-tree pruned in the common way, 
which should be cut at gy and the young wood will soon cover 
the wall. 



( 240 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 4. 
Fig. 1. 

An old cherry-tree headed down at c. Before this its 
branches were covered with the gum and canker, as Fig 2. 

The fore-right shoots should be tucked in, as direct- 
ed for pears ; and at the fall of the leaf, or in the month 
of February, they should be cut at a : These form the fruit- 
buds £ifc, all over the tree. 

c, c, The cicatrices where the leading shoot was 

headed in different seasons. 

d. The composition applied where large limbs were 

cut off. 

Fig. 2. 

A branch of this tree before it was headed down. 

e, £s?c. Branches injudiciously pruned in summer; 
which brings on the death of the shoot, and afterwards the gum 
and canker on the tree. 

y, /, ££?c. The gum and canker in the last stage, which 
corrodes the whole tree if not carefully extirpated. 



Flale JV 




DuKiE Cheirky Trek Flate IV 



(241 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 5. 

An old cherry-tree, restored from two or three in ches of 
live bark, taken from the wall, and planted out as a dwarf stan- 
dard : Now very fruitful. 

ff, a. The cicatrices where it was headed down the first 
and second time. 

b. The hollow covered with the composition, and now 
nearly filled up with sound wood. 



( 242 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 6. 
Fig. 1. 

An old cankery apple-tree headed down four years ago, 

now bearing great plenty of fine fruit. 

a. Where it was first headed down. 

b and c. Two wounds covered with the composition, and 
now nearly filled up with sound wood. 

The part of the trunk below a shews the cankery state of 
the bark ; which rough cankery bark must always be pared off 
otherwise it will infect the new. 

Fig, 2. 

A branch shewing the method of keeping a regular succes- 
sion of bearing wood. 

d, A branch, which has done bearing, to be cut at e, and 
which is succeeded by the branch f ; when that also is tired of 
bearing, it is to be cut at g, and will be succeeded by the branch 
h ; and when that also is worn out, it is to be cut off at i. By 
proceeding in this manner, you will always be able to keep a 
regular succession of fine bearing wood. 



I'laZe VI 




Flate Vll 




Plate Vn 




( 244 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 8. 
Fig. 1. 

An old decayed Beurre pear-tree headed down at and 
restored from one inch and a half of live bark. 

a, a, a, ^c. The fruit-buds for the present year. 

b, by b, ^c. Those forming for next year. 

c, c, £s?c. The foot stalks of the fruit of last year, on 
which are forming buds for bearing in the second year. 

d, d, £s?c. The fore-right shoots as they appear before they 
are cut off at in the autumn or spring pruning. 

d. The manner of tucking in the fore-right branches. 

fjf^ £s?c. Cicatrices of the different headings, which cause 
the leading shoot to produce horizontal shoots. 

g, g. Large wounds, having the composition applied, 
healing up. 

Fig. 2. 

An old branch of the same tree before it was headed down, 
trained and pruned in the old way, with spurs standing out a 
foot, or afoot and a half, from the wall; and the rough bark, 
infested with a destructive insect, which is described and a me- 
thod of cure given, in chap. 28. See Coccus, and Plate 9. Fig. 3. 



rtate vm 




( 245 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 9. 
Fig. 1. 

An old Bergatnot Pear headed down at the cicatrix a, 
taken from the wall and planted out as a dwarf standard. 

b. A wound, covered with the composition, where a large 
upright shoot was cutoff, to give the leading shoot freedom to 
grow straight. 

Fig. 2. 

The different appearances of the insect so destructive to 
pear-trees, mentioned in the Chapter On Insects^ under the head 
Caterpillar. 

This insect is inclosed in a case, and, when fixed on the 
leaf on which it feeds, appears as represented at a, a, which 
is about its natural size. 

^. The case magnified. 

c. The case, with the Insect in motion, magnified. 

d. The Insect magnified. 

e. The Moth. 

jf. The Chrysalis. 

g. The Chrysalis magnified. 

Fig. 3. 

The. coccus which infests peach, nectarine, and pear-trees. 

fl, a, a. The insect, the natural size, on a branch of a 
pear-tree. 

by b, b. The same magnified*. 

• This is, most assuredly, the very insect that destroys the peach tree in 
America, and the reader has nothing to do but to look at the chapter on insects, 
to know how to kill the insect, and preserve the tree. 



K k 



( 246 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE lo. 

a, a, a, ^c. The young bearing wood of a vine trained 
in a serpentine manner, with the buds for the present year ap- 
pearing. These shoots are generally cut out in the winter 
pruning, as low as c, c, c, ^c, to produce wood for next year. 

The shoots ^, ^c, produce fruit in the usual manner, 
also y^oung wood for the following year, which roust not be top- 
ped, but only have the sidt shoots picked off. Two or three 
of the strongest young shoots from each of those b, by will 
t)e sufficient and they must be laid in at full length. 



TlaZe JT 




i 




( 247 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 11. 
Fig. 1. 

Grafting in the rind, shoulder-grafting, or crown-graft* 

ing. 

a. The stock grafted. 

b. The ntianner of raising the bark to receive the cion or 
graft. 

c. The graft prepared for inserting. 

Fig. 2. 

Cleft-grafting, stock-grafting, or slit-grafting, 

d. The stock grafted. 

e. The stock prepared for receiving the graft* 

f. The cion ready for inserting. 

d^ d. Different views of incisions made for the purpose 
of obtaining young wood. 

e. A young shoot coming out at the lower part of the in« 
cision. 

Fig. 3. 

Whip-grafting, or tongue-grafting. 

g. The stock grafted. 

h. The stock prepared. 

The graft prepared for inserting. 

Fig. 4. 
Inoculating or budding. 

k. The manner of making the incision in the bark, 

/. The bud inserted, and the bark laid over it. 

m. A shoot shewing the manner of cutting off the buds, 

72. A vessel with a little loam, covered with wet moss^ 
to stick the lower end of the shoot in, to keep it moist till U5ed» 

0. A bud taken off and r^ady for inserting. 



( 248 ) 

Fig, 5 and 6. 

Inarching, or grafting by approach. 
p. Graicmg on a stock i i a pot. 

q, G: ifv^ng on <. Soock growing near the tree from which 
it is to be gralted on, 

r, s. The she ot and stock prepared. 

t. Two branches inarched where the natural ones had 
- failed, now prone ly united with the body of the tree; the 
lower parts be?r:g cut off. 

w, u. Two branches lately inarched for the same purpose, 
and when properly united with the stem, are to be cut off at 
z/, M, lU 

%Vy X. The manner of preparing the stock and graft. 

A naturd shoot coming out where the branch was in- 
arched the preceding year. 



O .cN^Xv Hate Xn 




( 249 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 12. 

This plate represents an old stunted oak, which was 
headed down about six years ago. At that time it was full of 
wounds and blemishes, now nearly healed. 

a. The place where the tree was headed, afterwards co- 
vered with the composition. 

^, ^, h. Three young shoots produced fine heading; there 
were several others, which were cut down as they advanced in 
growth; the two remaining side ones are also to be cut down 
and only the middle one left, which will in time cover the 
wound and form a proper tree. 

c, c. Remains of the old wounds, covered with the 
composition, and now almost healed up. 



( 250 ) 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 13. 
Fig. 1 ^ 2. 

Two different views of a tool for cutting out the dead 
and decayed parts of hollow trees. It has two wooden han- 
dles which may be of any convenient length. 

Fig, 3^4, 

Two views of another tool, with one handle, for cutting 
out dead wood. This is made narrower than the for^ner, and 
is to be used in places where Fig. 1. cannot be admitted. 

5. A triangular chisel, for cutting grooves or channels to 
carry off the waier from the hollows of the trees. 

6. A to jl representing an adze on one side and a hatchet 
on the other. 

7. A large chisel. 

8. A large gouge. 

9. A sm.;U saw, with double teeth, thin on the back, for 
cutting off small branches, &c. 

10. A knife with a concave edge. 

11. A tool in form of a sickle, v>^ithout teeth. This is 
to scrape stems and branches of trees on the side next the 
wall. 

12. A pruning-knife with a convex edge. 

13. A tool in shape of a curry-comb for scraping moss, 
&c. off the stems and branches of trees: One of the scrapers 
has teeth ; the other is plain. The back of this tool, and the 
edges of the scrapers, are a little concave. 

14. A larger double-toothed saw for cutting off large 
branches. 

15. A small pruning-knife with a convex edge. 

16. A large chistl with a strong plate of iron screwed on 
upon the face of it, like a double iron for a plane, to prevent 
its running in too far where the tree is cross-grained. 

K. B. These tools have handles of different lengths, to be 
used as occasion requires. 



Mate XII' 




INDEX. 



A. 

J^\.CARUS, on Trees, how to destroy, 174. 

on Melons, how to destroy, 175. 
ALMONDS, different sorts of, 117. 

Propagation of, ibid. 
How to prune, ibid. 
Planting of, 118. 
How to preserve, ibid. 
ANTS, how to destroy them, 185. 
APHIDES, described, 172. 

How to destroy, ibid. 
APPLES, different sorts of, 37. 

What sort of trees to chuse, 45. 
Heading of Dwarfs, 46. 
Heading down old trees, ibid, 
Hollow trees, how to be treated, 47. 

Trees that are very cankery, or have ill -formed heads, should be 

headed down, ibid. 
Pruning of Apple-trees, ibid. 

The advantage of heading down young trees in the Nursery, 49. 
Of borders and cross v/alks, ibid. 
How to improve the soil, 50. 
Manure for Apple-trees, ibid. 
Grafting of old trees, 51. 
Use of the Composition in grafting, ibid. 
APRICOTS, different sorts of, 2. 

Proper trees, preparing the borders, and planting, 4. 

Heading and training, ibid. 

Shortening the horizontal shoots, 5. 

Old and decayed tree^, how to manage, ibid. 

Injuries sustained by cutting or breaking off large branches, how- 
to remedy, ibid. 

Canker to cure, ibid. 

Topping young shoots, 6. 



252 



INDEX. 



APRICOTS, pruning, 6. 

Objections to autumnal pruning, ibid. 
Best sorts for standards, ibid. 

B 

BARBERRIES, different sorts of, 108. 

Raising and pruning of Barberries, ibid. 
BIRDS, to preserve fruit from them, 189. 
BLIGHTS, what they are, and remedies for them, 169 to IH^ 
BOMEYX, how to destroy, 184. 
BUDDING, how performed, 138. 

Observations on budding, 142. 

Use of the Com.position in budding, 143. 

C 

CANKER, the description and causes of it, 163. 

Does not arise from the nature of the soil, 164. 

Does not proceed from the roots to the branches, but from the 

branches to the roots, ibid.] 
To cure the Canker, ibid. 
CATERPILLARS, how to destroy, 180. 
CHERMES, how to destroy, 183. 
CHERRIES, different sorts of, 29. 

Planting of them, 32. 

Heading down, its advantages, and how performed, ibid. 
Incisions for producing new wood, 33. 
The Canker in Cherry-trees, how to cure, ibid. 
The bad effects of the common way of pruning, and a remedy, ibid. 
Heart Cherries, how to prune, train, &c. 34. 
Large Cherrj^-trees at Ashted-Park, Siury, ibid. note. 
Manner of treating trees that produce spurs, ibid. 
Advantages of the new method of priming and training, 35. 
Heading down of old trees, 36. 
CHESNUTS, Different sorts of, cultivated in England, 122. 

Excellent timber, ibid. 

Great Chesnut of Tortworth, ibid. 

Several large trees at Ashted Park, near Epsom, 123. note. 
Propagating of, ibid. 

Gathering, and keeping of Chesnuts in winter, ibid. 
Sowing, and management of Chesnuts in the Nursery, 124. 
Planting out, ibid. 
Heading down, 125. 
CICADA, to destroy, 184. 



INDEXo 



253 



COCCUS, Description of the Coccus, 177. 

How to destroy the Coccus, 178. 

A new tribe, first appearance of them in England, ibid. 
COMPOSITION, Directions for making and applying it, 217. 

Additional instructions, 219 
CURRANTS, Different sorts of, 101. 

Black Currants good for Coughs and Colds, 101. note. 

Propagation of Currants, 102. 

Planting of, ibid. 

How to have an early crop, ibid. 

Pruning of, 103, 

To preserve them from insects, ibid. 
Suckers must be stocked up, 104, 
E. 

EARWIGS, io destroy, 185, 

F. 

FIGS, Different sorts of, 85. 
Raising of, 87. 

Pruning and training of Fig-Trees, ibid. 

Sheltering them in winter, 88. 

Cautions about uncovering, 89. 

To forward the ripening the Figs, ibid. 

Leaves, and foot-stalks of late fruit to be taken OiF, 89. 

Training, and the distance at which Fig-Trees should be planted, ibid. 
; Of sheltering standard Fig-Trees from frost, 90. 

Heading down of Fig-Trees, ibid. 

Figs may be dried for winter use, ibid. 
FILBERTS. See Nuts. 
FLIES. See AVasps. 

FRUIT-ROOM. See the following Article. 

FRL^IT-GATHERING. The time and manner of gathering Apples and 
Pears, and of carrying them to the Fruit-room, 
157. 

Of sweating, and laying up Apples and Pears on the 

shelves, 158. 
How to keep therri in baskets, 160. 
Andinjajs, ibid. 

Of packing fruit for carriage, ibid. 

r' 

GARDEN, A proper situation for one, 144. 

How to shelter it by clumps, ibid. 

L 1 



254 



INDEX. 



GARDEN, of cross rows of Fruit-Trees for shelter, 145. 
Of laying out a Garden, ibid. 
Soil, 146. 

Form and size, ibid. 
Slips, outside of the wall, ibid. 
Chevaux de frize, for paling, ibid. mte. 
Of watering a Garden, 147. 
Quarters and Walks, 148. 
Draining, ibid. 
Borders under the walls, ibid. 
The Melon Ground and Pits, 149. 
Map of a Garden proper to be had, 150 
Of Garden Walls, ibid. 
GATHERING OF FRUIT. See Fruit-gathering. 
GOOSEBERRIES, dilFerent sorts of, with the weight of a great many new 
ones from Lancashire, 95. 

Propagation and Planting of Gooseberries, 96. 

Pruning, 97. 

Great attention paid to the Cultivation of Gooseberries 

. about Manchester, 98. 
Of early and late sorts^ ibid. 

Method of destroying Caterpillars on the bushes, 99. 
GRAFTING, Definition &c. of Grafting, 130. 

On the choice of Grafts or Cions, 131. 
Choice of Stocks, 133. 
Tools necessary in grafting, ibid. 
Grafting Clay, ibid. 

A composition of Bees-wax, &c. Instead of clay, 134. 
Different ways of Grafting, ibid. 
Grafting in the rind, or shoulder-grafting, 135. 
Cleft-grafting, ibid. 

Whip -grafting, or Tongue -grafting, 136. 
Grafting by approach, ibid. 

Observations on Grafting, and the advantage of using the Plas- 
ter-Composition instead of Clay, lo7- 
GUM, a disease in Fruit-Trees, how to cure, 167. 

H.. 

HONEY-DEW described, 169,-j.: - 
How to be treated, ibid. 

I. 

INOCULATION. See Budding. 
INSECTS. See Aphis, Acarus, Coccus, &c. 



INDEX. 



255 



L. 

HME-WATEJR, how to make, 175. 

Its use, ibid. 

M. 

MANURE for Fruit-Trees, 51. 
MEDLARS, differeut sorts of, 93. 

Manner of treatment, ibid. 

Should be planted at a distance from apples and pears, 94. 
MICE, how to destroy, 189. 
MILDEW, what it is, 168. 

Remedy for it, ibid. 
MOSS, to destroy, and prevent from growing on Fruit-Trees, 155. 
MULBERRIES, wlien introduced into England, 110. 

Large ones at Sion House, Priory, and Chelsea, ibid. 

Treated of by Gerard in 1597, ibid. 

Sorts cultivated in England, 111. 

Their propagation, ibid. 

Planting of, 112. 

Pruning of, ibid. 

Of Defects and Diseases, and renovating old trees, 113. 
N. 

NECTARINES, different sorts of, 26. 

Management of, 27. 
Greatly infested with Earwigs, &c. 28- 
Thinning the fruit and picking off the leaves, ibid. 
How to prolong the succession, ibid. 
NUTS AND FILBERTS, different sorts of, 119. 

Propagation of, ibid. 
Training, 120. 
Keeping of, in winter, ibid. 
O. 

OBSERVATIONS on the Diseases, Defects, and Injuries of Fruit and Forest 
Trees. Published by order of Government. Intro- 
duction, 193. 

What led to the discovery of the Composition, 194. 

Enquiries of the Commissioners on the Effects of the Com- 
position, ibid. 

Mr. NichoPs Estimate of damaged Timber brought into 

Portsmouth Dock, 195, 7iote. 
General Observations on the Diseases of trees, 198. 
On the Management of Forest-Trees, 199. 



256 



INDEX. 



OBSERVATIONS, first trial of the Composition on Forest-Trees, 200. 

Of raising young timber from old roots or stumps, 302, 
Correspondence with the Commissioners of the Land Re- 
venue, 207. 

A Letter from the Commissioners to the Noblemen and 
Gentlemen appointed by Parliament to examine the 
Experiments in Kensington Gardens, 212. 

Report on the above examination, 214. 

Directions for making and applying the Composition, 217". 

Additional Directions for making and applying the Com- 
position, and for preparing the Trees, especially hol- 
low ones, for receiving it, 219. 

Success of several Experiments since publishing the Ob- 
servations, &c. 223. 

The best method of raising oaks, 225. 

Of planting Chesnuts for Copse-Wood, 226. 

Letters attesting the efficacy of the Composition in ciiffe- 
rent climates, 228. 
ORANGE-TREES, directions for heading down, 233. 
ORCHARD;, its situation, size, and soil, 152. 
Proper trees, ibid. 

Preparing the ground for planting, 153. 

Planting, 154. 

Of draining a wet soil, 155. 

An annual Wash for trees, ibid. 
PAPILIO, how to destroy, 184. 
PEACHES, different sorts of, 15. 

Of the soil, and borders for Peaches, 19, 

Draining a wet soil, 20. 

A sour wet clay, how to treat, ibid. 

Of the choice of Peach-Trees, ibid. 

Preparing the Borders and planting, ibid. 

Heading, topping, pruning, and training, 2|. 

Pruning and training of old trees, 23. 

Of making incisions, ibid. 

The Canker, ibid. 

The superfluous shoots to be rubbed off. 
Of thinning the fruit, 24. 

The great advantage of using the Cojnposition, ibid. 

Of watering and mulching, ibid. 

Of picking off the leaves, 25. 

To procure a regular succession, ibid. 



INDEX. 25r 

PEACHES, sorts for North and East aspects, ibid. 

PEARS, dIfFerent sorts of, 53. 

Choice of trees, and planting, 62. 
Pruning, ibid. 

Cankery trees, how to treat, 63. 

Experiments on unfruitful, old, and decayed trees, ibid. 

A comparative statement of the produce of trees, by the old and new 

way of pruning and training, ibid. 
Description of an old Beurre Pear-Tree restored from li inch of sound 

bark, 65. 

Of training trees that are headed down near to the place where they 
have been grafted, ibid. 

Of the Canker and its remedy, 66. 

Shortening the fore-right shoots, ibid. 

Of decayed and rotten roots, 67. 

Trenching the borders, ibid. 

The proper depth of mould, ibid. 

How the trees ought to be treated in a clayey soil, ibid. 

Proper small crops for winter and spring, ibid. 
PHALENi^:, how to destroy, 183. 

See BoMSYx, 1.84. 
POISON, for Vermin. See Rats and Mice. 

PLUMS, different sorts of, 7. 

Choice of Trees, management of the Borders, and Planting, 9- 
Head-down, 10. 

Distance at which Plum-Trees should be planted, ibid. 
Training, and shortening the leading shoot, ibid. 
Preparing Wall-Trees for Standards, and transplanting them, ibid. 
Trenching the Borders, 11. 

Of Standards in Orchards, and Dwarfs in Gardens, ibid. 

Of Cross-rows in Gardens, ibid. 

Of pruning and restoring old and decayed trees, 12- 

Of fore-right shoots, 13. 

Sheltering from frosts and cold winds, ibid. 

The Composition ought always to be applied after the knife, 13. 

Of thinning the fruit, ibid. 

Q: 

QUINCES, best sort of, for the kitchen garden, 91. 

Propagation, planting, and pruning of them, ibid. 

Rough bark, and bark bound trees, 92. 

Should be planted at a distance from apples and pears, ibid. 



258 



INDEX. 



R. 

l^ASPBERRIES, different sorts of, 105. 

Propagation and planting, ibid. 
Watering and slaking, 106. 
Pruning, ibid. 

The time they will continue in a bearing state, ibid. 
RATS, how to destroy them, 187". 

S= 

SERVICE, different sorts, 114. 

The Cultivated Service, ibid. 

How propagated, ibid. 

Training and pruning, ibid. 

The Wild Service, or Mountain Ash» 115. 

Its Propagation, ibid. 

Training, ibid. 

The Maple-leaved Service, ibid. 

Its propagation, training, 116. 
SLUGS, to destroy, 186. 
SNAILS, to destroy, ibid. 
SPHINX, to destroy, 184. 
STOCKS for grafting on, choice of, 132. 

T. 

THRIPS, how to destroy, 183. 
TRANSPLANTING, of old trees, 11 & 12. 

TREES. For the management of Fruit-trees. See Apples, Pears, Plums, &c. 

Forest-trees, how to manage. See "Observations on the Diseases, 
Defects, &c. of Trees." 
TRAPS for catching Vermin. See Rats and Mice. 

V. 

VEGETABLE MOULD, how produced, 5L 
^INES, different sorts of, 69. 

Of propagating Vines from seed, 73. 

from cuttings, 74. 
from layers, 76. 
Of choosing Vines from the Nursery, ibid. 

Experiments and Observations on training and pruning of Vines, 77. 

Directions for training and pruning, 79. 

Use of the Composition after pruning, 82. 

Directions for watering Vines, ibid. 

Of preserving Grapes from Flies, Wasps, 8cc. 83. 

Of picking off the leaves, 84. 

Gathering and preserving Grapes in winter, ibid. 



INDEX. 



259 



W. 

WALltUTS, dilFerent sorts cultivated in England, 127. 

Propagation and treatment in the Nursery, ibid. 
Planting out, ibid. 
Trimming, 128. 

Walnut-trees excellent timber, ibid. 

Leaves of, serviceable In destroying Slugs, 129. 

Method of keeping Walnuts, ibid. 

Value of Walnut-tre^es at Beddlngton Park, annually, ihid. note. 
WASH, annual, for trees, 231. 
WASPS, to destroy, 186. 

Watering, Directions for watering trees, 38. 

See also Mildew^, Aphis, Acaris, &c. where directii^s are 
given for watering under different circumstances. 



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